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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23556760">When the war is over</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/filhadoboto/pseuds/filhadoboto'>filhadoboto</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My TROS fix-it therapy [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Assassination Attempt(s), Biting, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Allies, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Choking, Gen, Gingerflower, Gingerrose - Freeform, Huxrose, Light Smut, Minor Character Death, Minor Reylo, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Armitage Hux, POV Rose Tico, Pre TROS, Resistence contact Rose, allies bonding, confession of love, glimpses of Reylo, minor stormpilot, post-TJL, secret meeting, spy hux</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:01:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>51,906</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23556760</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/filhadoboto/pseuds/filhadoboto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose is the person Leia has placed in charge of staying in touch and receiving the intel provided by the spy in the First Order. Over time, they end up becoming friends and, when they decide to meet in person, she ends up meeting the person she least expected.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armitage Hux &amp; Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux &amp; Knights of Ren, Armitage Hux &amp; Knights of Ren &amp; Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux &amp; Millicent the Cat, Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey &amp; Rose Tico, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My TROS fix-it therapy [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1654099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first fic for this ship. I am completely in love with Gingerrose and I couldn't help but contribute to the fandom.</p><p>Hope you like it.</p><p>English is not my native language, sorry for grammar errors (In google translate I trust!).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose Tico definitely never imagined that her life would take the course it took and that it would end where she was now: in the arms of Armitage Hux, General of the First Order and spy of the Resistance.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Lying on his bare chest, one hand intertwined with one of his, listening to the quiet beat of his heart and his soft breath, she traced in her mind the path that had taken her until that moment.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She felt that her journey to this unexpected destination had begun when General Leia had informed her of the existence of a spy in the First Order and had given her the important task of being responsible for keeping in touch and receiving intel from that spy. She hadn’t hesitated to accept, glad that the General trusted her to delegate such responsibility, and felt proud of whoever the spy was for making the decision to help the Resistance defeat the First Order despite the risks involved.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The spy, codenamed <em>TIE Fighter</em>, had access to sensitive information that a mere pilot wouldn’t have access to and she suspected that he either received information from someone who was part of the First Order's high command or that he was part of the high command and that, after years of watching the Order spread chaos and misery across the galaxy, he had resolved to act against it.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The intel provided by the spy was passed on to General Leia who, in turn, decided whether and how it would be used. At first, there had been suspicion regarding the veracity and reliability of the intel, but over time, TIE Fighter proved to be a reliable spy and, increasingly, the Resistance was able to damage the First Order's logistics. On occasions where the mission was successful, Rose liked to imagine the face of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and General Hux when they received the news that the Resistance had not only managed to survive the battle at Crait, but was stronger every day and could attack them wherever they least expected it.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Her contact with the spy was made through encrypted text messages and, in the beginning, they were simple and direct. Usually, the spy didn’t seem interested in what was happening in the Resistance and was politely cold in his communications, but given that he was someone who was part of the First Order, she couldn’t expect anything else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> A new shipment of weapons will be sent to the destroyer Inquisitor on the Bracca system in two standard days. The best chance of interception is on the surface of the planet, as there will only be a squad of troopers guarding the cargo.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
</blockquote><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Understood, Fighter. A team will be sent to the indicated location. Be careful.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She always ended their contact with a <em>'Be careful'</em> , but he never responded to that. It was around the third month of contact that she had noticed a slight change. When she sent the usual <em>‘Be careful’</em> he replied with <em>‘I always am’</em> . That day, Rose had smiled and thought that <em>maybe</em> the spy was starting to trust her and, who knows, one day she might be able to damage his armor enough to let in the light.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Their communication, which at first was weekly, had started to be practically daily and, at the end of the fifth month, after giving her the intel he had obtained, he had written to her:</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I have a difficult confession to make, Haysian Flower.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">For a few seconds she feared that he would say that, due to the risks he took, he would stop being a spy and their communications would come to an end, but even fearing his answer, she had written:</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> What kind of confession, Fighter?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> The personal type and that I should keep to myself, but I need to get it off my chest or I won't be able to concentrate on my duties or anything else here in the First Order.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> You can trust me.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Every day I wait for something, anything, to happen around here so that I have a reason to contact and talk to you.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She had read the message over and over again, both flattered and unsure of how to respond. For a second, it had crossed her mind that he might be trying to manipulate her, but she had driven that thought away quickly. Was he trying to flirt with her or was she exaggerating the meaning of his words?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Haysian Flower, are you still there?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Yes, Fighter, I am.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I'm sorry. Ignore what I said. It was inappropriate for me to tell you that.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I guarantee that from now on, I'll just stick to keeping the Resistance informed of what's going on here.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">His words prompted her to respond.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I can't ignore what you wrote because I also like to talk to you, Fighter.</em></p>
  <p class="western"><em>Our conversations are my oasis of tranquility in the midst of this war and I would hate to </em> <em>lose</em> <em> it.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It had taken him so long to answer that she thought he had ended the transmission.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower: </b> </em> <em>Fighter, are you still there?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Yes. I'm sorry. I just didn't expect you to feel the same way I did.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I actually expected you to be disgusted at knowing that.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Disgusted? No! I really enjoy talking to you and now you know </em> <em>it</em> <em>.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter: </b> </em> <em> I know and I am surprised. </em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower: </b> </em> <em>Why were you so surprised?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I've always thought of the Resistance as a place where people are less... rigid than those of the First Order and encouraged to socialize with each other.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower: </b> </em> <em>Don't get me wrong, Fighter, I have friends here in the Resistance. Friends I trust and would give my life to save theirs and I know that they feel and would do the same for me. But that doesn't stop me from enjoying your company and wanting to enjoy it.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter: </b> </em> <em>Understood.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Are you not allowed to have friends in the First Order?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I was never encouraged to trust people, just to distrust them and use them to achieve my goals.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Ouch! This is a very cold, paranoid and lonely way of living life.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Welcome to my world.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I must conclude that, since you like to talk to me, does that mean that you are starting to trust me?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> As strange and absurd as it may seem, yes.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She took a deep breath, building up the courage to write:</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> If you just want to talk to me, you don't have to wait until you have some information to get in touch.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I promise that this secret will be just between the two of us.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Once again, it had taken him forever to respond and she had smiled when he replied:</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I would be delighted to be able to talk to you without needing an excuse for that.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Until next time, Flower.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower: </b> </em> <em>Until next time, Fighter. And be careful.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I always am.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She didn't have to wait long until he got in touch just to talk to her and, true to her promise, she kept those <em>'extras'</em> conversations a secret. Over time, she realized that talking to him had been like approaching an injured and mistreated animal. At first he had been fierce and aloof, but with her stubborn insistence, she was gaining his trust (and, in a way, he was gaining hers) until he let her approach him and touch him.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Conversations between them started to take longer and to become more personal. She had talked about how she missed her sister and how she wished she could get her family back. He had told her that he didn't even remember his mother's name and that his life with his father had been almost unbearable. She had told him some of her best memories with her family. He had told her about how his father had mistreated and abused him and made him feel inferior and inadequate all his life. He had told her how, even years after his father's death, he still felt like the frightened and helpless boy he had been. She had told him about how she wanted to live to see the galaxy in peace. He had told her that he would consider himself lucky if he managed to live for another week. She had told him about the fear of losing her friends. He had told her that he had never had a friend or someone he could trust and that, most likely, he would die alone. She had told him that she was sorry and that, if he wanted to, she would love to be friends with him and he hesitantly accepted.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It had been practically impossible not to feel <em>compassion</em> for the spy. From the stories she had heard from Finn, she had an idea of the horrors the First Order had committed against the children they had abducted to form their army, but the things the spy had told her had made her wish she could crush the entire First Order with her own hands. When he talked about his relationship with his father, she had wanted to go to him and hold him in her arms and comfort him. She wanted to be able to embrace and protect him and assure him that she wouldn’t allow him to be hurt again, that she would keep him safe and secure. But she couldn't do any of that, so she offered him words of comfort and, when he asked, told him stories about her life with her family in Hays Minor.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Their relationship had started to become as much a part of her life as her relationship with her friends in the Resistance was, but the only person she ended up telling about her conversations with the spy was Rey. The girl also had her secrets and she was the only one who could understand what Rose was feeling for the spy.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It was around the end of the tenth month that things between them seemed about to take another turn. She had just informed him about another successful mission using the intel he had provided them and, as it had become customary for them, they turned to more personal matters.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter: </b></em> <em>I really appreciate our conversations, Flower.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> Me too.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> I always feel more relaxed and happy when talking to you. Unexpectedly, you have become someone very special to me and I hope that one day I can meet you, finally give you a face and a voice.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She had pondered for a few seconds, her heart pounding, before she wrote.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Just say where and when and I'll be there.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It had taken him so long to answer that she feared he had been discovered and captured.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> Fighter? Are you still there?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> Yes, Flower. I'm just weighing the pros and cons of accepting your suggestion.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">All the enthusiasm she had felt had turned to dust and she had hurried to say:</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower: </b> </em> <em>Please ignore my suggestion. It is better and safer for everyone if we keep our identities a secret. Also, I don't think it's worth the risk of being discovered just to get to know me.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I know that knowing you is worth any risk, Flower. I am the problem. I fear that if we meet, you will be disgusted and will no longer want to contact me.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Why do you think that? Are you some kind of monster by any chance?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I've been called a monster by many people </em> <em>a</em> <em>nd I believe I deserved that title. There is no way to get to where I got in the First Order without doing some monstrous things.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Fighter, we've all done things we're not proud of in the name of the cause we're fighting for. As a friend of mine always says, we all have light and darkness within us.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I wish you were right and that you could see some light in me, if we ever meet.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower: </b> </em> <em> After so long talking to you I already know that there is light in you, </em> <em>Fighter.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Something tells me that not only would you change your mind, but you would be disappointed to know who I am.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Or maybe not.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter: </b> </em> <em>Or, most likely, yes.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">And before she could say anything else, he said goodbye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I'm sorry, but I need to go now, Flower.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Promise me you will be careful.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I always am.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">He had responded, as always.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose had felt foolish for even thinking about risking revealing the spy's identity, as well as her own, just because they had the same crazy desire to know what the other was like. This wouldn’t be the first time that she had been interested in someone who didn’t have the same interest in her and the odds were that he would be disappointed when he met her. Thus, she had forced herself to forget this matter and focus on what really mattered, which was to defeat the First Order and end that war.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">When the spy got in touch again a few days later, she stared at the message for almost five minutes, trying to convince herself that what she was reading was real.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western">
    <em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> -401.72, -561.84, 004.32. Do you want to take the risk with me, Flower? </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She had done a quick search and found that the coordinates belonged to the planet Batuu, in the Batuu system. It was a planet that was currently under the control of the First Order, but she knew how to get in and out of there without attracting attention. She knew there was no other answer to be given than...</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western">
    <em><b>Haysian Flower: </b> Yes. </em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em><b>TIE Fighter:</b> In the Black Spire Ruins in two standard days? </em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em><b>Haysian Flower:</b> I'll be there. </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The moment </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> ship left hyperspace, Rose thought about how what she was about to do was a complete madness. She had agreed to meet someone on the enemy side, on a planet dominated by the First Order and could be on her way to a trap. At least, if that was really a trap, she knew someone would know where to start looking for her, because before she left the base, she had told Rey what was going on and the girl had not only said she would keep her secret but she had ensured that if Rose didn’t contact her in twenty-four hours, she would pick up the Falcon and travel to Batuu or as far as necessary to help her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>As she approached where the Black Spire Ruins were, she reminded herself that the meeting was her idea. She </span>
  <span>
    <em>desperately</em>
  </span>
  <span> needed to give a face and a voice to that person with whom she felt so deeply connected and, even though she knew the risks, even though it could cost her not only her freedom but her </span>
  <span>
    <em>life</em>
  </span>
  <span>, she moved on.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>The place she chose to land on was a wide clearing in the middle of a beautiful mosaic composed of petrified trees and stunning vegetation bathed in the sunlight that had just risen. It had been a long journey there, however, she was so anxious and nervous, she didn't feel tired. She spent the next half hour deep breathing, trying to keep her emotions in check, but when the black </span>Upsilon-class command shuttle<span> belonging to the First Order approached the place where she was and then landed in front of her, she felt the fear join her anxiety and nervousness and her pulse quickened. She already expected the spy to be someone of the Order's </span><span>high </span><span>command, after all the </span><span>intel</span><span> he passed on to her couldn’t be accessed by a simple fighter pilot, so it wasn’t so strange that he used that ship.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Rose held her breath when the ramp came down and she saw a single tall, slender figure come down </span>
  <span>it</span>
  <span>. She had imagined that moment for months, the moment when she would finally see him and know what he was like. Often, before going to sleep, she had surrendered to the temptation to imagine what he would be like based on the things he said and the way he wrote and even dreamed once or twice about a faceless figure walking towards her, but she had never imagined that the person she was looking forward to meeting would be </span>
  <span>
    <em>him</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>In front of her, dressed in </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> impeccable First Order uniform, looking at her with a surprised and confused expression, was none other than General Armitage Hux.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Judging by </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> reaction, paralyzed at the base of the ramp and surprised eyes fixed on her face, he also recognized her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>
    <em>You?</em>
  </span>
  <span>" she said with a mixture of surprise and anger when she recovered from the shock.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He whispered something to himself and gave a humorless laugh. There was resignation and perhaps relief in his green eyes when he said "Of course, of all the rebel scum, </span>
  <span>
    <em>you</em>
  </span>
  <span> had to be my contact." and started walking quickly towards her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Instinctively, she took the blaster out of its holster and shot it near his feet twice, making him stop, his face scared and offended.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Don't take another step, Hux. Or I swear you will regret it.” she saw him swallow, raise his hands in front of him in a gesture of surrender and nod “What did you do to him?” she said, refusing to believe that he was the person for whom she had traveled there.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>What did I do with whom?” he asked, looking genuinely confused. “Can you be more specific?”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span><em>The spy!”</em></span><span> she said, irritated, her frustration and her desire to shoot him increasing with each passing second “What did you do with the spy?”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He looked her straight in the eye and said calmly and confidently, “</span>
  <span>
    <em>I am the spy.”</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>No, you </span><span><em>are not</em></span><span>.” she said.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She just couldn't accept that the person she was in love with was the same person who had ordered the destruction of the hosnian system, explored and destroyed her </span>
  <span>home word</span>
  <span> and left her without a home and without her family.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I am the spy.” he repeated.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>You</span><span><em> are not </em></span><span>the spy.” she repeated stubbornly.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>We should have thought of a code or a secret word to avoid this type of situation.” he said.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span><em>You are not the spy!”</em></span><span> she said, almost snarling the words.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>
    <em>Please, </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>she thought in despair,</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em> tell me you're not the spy, because I can't believe I'm in love with you!</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>And how would I know about that meeting place if I weren't the spy?”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Simple. The real spy was discovered and while we were talking he could be trapped in a cell or being interrogated and tortured or, worse yet, he could be dead!” she looked at him angrily and suspiciously “And you took his place to try to capture someone from the Resistance. Poe told me about when he was captured and I know that if Kylo Ren interrogates me I will not be able to prevent him from getting what he wants out of my mind.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I would never let Ren get near you and I can prove that I am the spy, Haysian Flower.” he said lowering his hands and taking a step towards her. She pointed the </span><span>blaster</span><span> at him again and he stopped.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>If you get closer, I may end up not resisting the urge to shoot you in the face.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He gave her a slight nod. “I can prove that I am the spy.” he repeated calmly.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She pondered for a few seconds, “I can't think of anything </span>
  <span>
    <em>you</em>
  </span>
  <span> can do or tell me that will convince me that...”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>You congratulated me for deciding to help the Resistance the first time we exchanged messages.” he interrupted her “And said you were proud of me for putting my life </span><span>at risk</span><span> to help free the galaxy from the grip of the First Order."</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She rolled her eyes. Did he really think he could deceive her that easily? “It proves nothing, just as knowing my codename doesn’t prove either. You could have tortured him and taken it all from him.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He closed his eyes for a few seconds and when he opened them, there was something different in his eyes, there was </span>
  <span>
    <em>hope</em>
  </span>
  <span> “At the end of all our transmissions, you always ask me to be careful.” he said and looked at </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> gloveless hands for a few seconds before looking her in the eye again and continuing “Even with all the Resistance around you, you've been lonely since your sister's death and the day her death turned a year, you cried yourself to sleep.” he took a step closer to her and she gave him a warning look “You also wanted to shoot that idiot Poe Dameron in the face when you found out that if he hadn't disobeyed General Organa's direct orders, maybe your sister was still alive.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She had only talked about that last part with two people. The only two people she had felt connected with after Paige's death. Rey and the spy. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I told you about my past.” he continued, “I said that I didn't know my mother and how my life with my father was. I told you that I had no friends and you said that you would be my friend if I wanted to.” he gave her a slight smile "Whenever I asked, you told me stories about your family and my favorites were those of your adventures with </span><span>your sister</span><span> when you were kids.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>All of that was true, which meant that Hux was not only the spy but the person she was in love with.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Rose gasped and lowered the blaster before saying “Oh, </span>
  <span>
    <em>kriff</em>
  </span>
  <span>!!! </span>
  <span>
    <em>You are the spy!</em>
  </span>
  <span>” and, without realizing it, took a small step back.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I imagine how disappointed you are to discover that I am the spy.” he said and there was something like pain, maybe sadness, in his eyes. “I told you it would happen, that you would be disgusted when you met me.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She looked him up and down. “You really tried to warn me, didn't you? You tried to warn me that you were a monster, but I didn't believe it.” </span>
  <span>
    <em>Still, I fell in love with you</em>
  </span>
  <span>, she added in her mind.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded slowly, “I tried, but you said you knew there was light in me.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She gave a humorless laugh “I said, didn't I?” </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>And I also said that if we met one day, I wish you could see some light in me.” he said and his eyes were full of hope once again. </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Yes, he had said that and, at the time, she had thought of how someone who had been so used and abused by others, who had never been treated with affection or received love from his family, someone who was obviously a victim in the hands of real monsters, like his own father, could think he was an irredeemable monster. Now it was obvious why he thought that of himself. He had indeed done monstrous things, but still...</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>If only…” she started and hesitated “If only part of everything you said to me in our conversations is true then, yes. I still think there is light in you.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>It's all true, Flower. Every word I wrote was true.” he said, his tone full of urgency. “I told you things that I was never able to tell anyone else. Things that made me ashamed, but I knew that you would understand and not think that I am a weak man for feeling them.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She returned the blaster to its holster, convinced that Hux was really who he claimed to be, and stared at him for a few seconds, trying to unite in her mind the image she had made of the spy with the image of the man before her “It's hard to accept that the person who caused me so much pain and the person with whom I talked and bonded and became so important to me, are the same person.” she said and put her hand on the pendant around her neck, feeling guilty for feeling what she was feeling for him. Her sister had died to protect the galaxy from the threat that the First Order represented and there she was, in love with </span>
  <span>its</span>
  <span> most fervent defender.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are. I always thought you had died aboard the Supremacy.” he said and gave her a smile full of relief. A smile that made her think of how he looked better when he wasn't wearing his usual scowl.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The two stared at each other silently for a few seconds. Hux looked at his hands and she saw him examine the finger she had bitten when he ordered her and Finn's execution “I helped the First Order to emerge from the ashes of the Empire and I wanted to have all the power that I rightfully believed was mine.” he started “When I decided to provide </span>
  <span>intel</span>
  <span> to the Resistance, my only goal was to make Ren lose everything. I wanted him to lose the war, I wanted him to lose the scavenger he cares about so much, I wanted him to lose everyone's trust and respect. I wanted to see him defeated and humiliated and then take over the First Order and destroy the Resistance.” he looked at her “Until our paths crossed and you entered my life.” </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She looked at him and, before her eyes, she saw his cold General facade collapse and in front of her there was only the man she had been talking to for over ten months and the softness in </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> gaze made her heart beat faster “Your stories about your family reminded me of the scared little boy that I was once and made me think about how different my life could have been if I had grown up elsewhere and with a family that loved me or cared about me. Every time you told me to be careful, I felt something strange, something that I needed weeks to get a name for and I had to repeat it over and over to myself that the person on the other side, whoever </span>
  <span>she</span>
  <span> was, she didn't really care about </span>
  <span>
    <em>me</em>
  </span>
  <span>, but about keeping </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> spy alive and ensuring the flow of </span>
  <span>intel</span>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux took another step closer to her “You treated me with tenderness and affection, someone on the enemy side, someone you had no idea who </span>
  <span>they</span>
  <span> were, and when I realized what was happening, it was too late. That person without a voice and without a face had managed to overcome each of my defenses and when I realized it, </span>
  <span>you</span>
  <span> had already taken over my heart. I was so scared when I realized that what was supposed to be something simple, just a means to an end, had evolved and I was feeling things that I had never felt before, feelings that scared me and made me feel both weak and invincible. "</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>His cheeks turned red and he continued, “I fell in love with the mysterious, brave and stubborn girl who despite everything she had lost still believes that saving what we love is more important than fighting what we hate. And when you said you were from Hays Minor, I ended up giving the face of the girl who defied me, bit me and humiliated me in front of my subordinates, even though I knew that girl probably died on board the Supremacy.” he smiled and his eyes sparkled when he continued "But here she is right in front of me, alive, even more stubborn, wild and beautiful than I remembered."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She felt her face flush, heat spreading across her face and body, and when he closed the distance between them, leaving less than a step between their bodies, she didn't protest and didn't even think to shoot him. Rose Tico just looked into Armitage Hux's eyes, not knowing what to say or what to do or how to react to what he had just said.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Please.” begged him in a soft tone that she could never have imagined him using “Please say something, Flower.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>What do you want me to say, Fighter?” she asked, her heart racing.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And Rose really didn't know what to say. The conflict she was feeling now was threatening to break her heart in half. Part of her screamed that he was a monster, that he had helped to destroy everything she loved, that he was responsible for the death of </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> sister, the loss of </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> home, the death of many people in the Resistance. But there was that other part that had spent the last few months getting to know the man who inhabited the General's interior. She knew how his life was a torment, how he had been abused, mistreated and </span>
  <span>
    <em>shaped</em>
  </span>
  <span> to be who he was. She knew that even behind </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> confident and arrogant facade, there was someone scared and sweet, for whom she had felt compassion. She still hated him, but she also cared for him. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I know that I am not who you expected, that we are enemies and that you have countless reasons to hate me. I know that I have no right to tell you everything I just said. But please tell me that you believe me, everything I said. Tell me that, despite all my crimes, despite the monstrous things I did, you will at least let me </span><span><em>try</em></span><span> to show you that I can be a better man, that I can be someone who maybe one day will deserve to have you in </span><span>my</span><span> life.” he pleaded desperately.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>She wanted to say, no, she wanted </span>
  <span>
    <em>to scream</em>
  </span>
  <span> that he was a monster, that he was a fool for believing that someone could like him, that </span>
  <span>
    <em>she could like</em>
  </span>
  <span> someone like him. She wanted to throw all his crimes at his face and how much she wanted him to pay for each one. She wanted to say that he was a lost cause, someone who couldn’t be redeemed. She wanted to say how much she despised him, how much the mere idea of being in the same place that he disgusted her and that she didn't care about anything he said to her or his stupid feelings for her, but the only thing she managed to do was cry. She cried because she knew she cared about him, she knew she felt the same way he did, she knew that despite everything he did and who he was, she loved him and could never be cruel to him. She cried and only realized she was crying when she felt his hand gently touch her cheek to wipe away her tears.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>That simple gesture made her body respond in an </span><span><em>unexpected</em></span><span> way and feeling the agitated pulse between her legs only made the situation even more complicated for her.</span> <span>Rose</span><span> took her face from his hand and he lowered it slowly, closing it in a fist beside his body. </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>There was pain in his voice and eyes when he continued “I know how repulsive my touch must be to you and how inconceivable it must be, impossible for someone like you to like someone like me, but...”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Before she managed to control herself, her hand hit his face with all the strength she had.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He gaped at her for a few seconds, the reddish mark with the shape of her hand appearing on his cheek “I certainly deser...” he started and Rose silenced him by standing on tiptoe and pressing her lips against his.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p class="western">When Hux wrapped his arms around her, pressing her against him without hesitation and kissed her back with the same enthusiasm and the same greediness with which she kissed him, Rose felt <em>wanted</em> and <em>complete</em> as she had never felt before. There, in the arms of her enemy, her hands resting on his chest, being held and kissed by him as if his life depended on it, Rose felt <em>whole</em> , <em>at home, in peace.</em></p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Angry at him for making her feel that way and at herself for feeling what she was feeling, she captured his bottom lip between her teeth and bit him hard, almost drawing blood.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“<em>Ouch!</em>” he said, when she released his lip and pulled away from him, his face full of pain and surprise at what she had just done “That hurt!”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“It's nothing compared to all the pain you've already caused!” she said angrily “I hate you for everything you did, but I hate you even more for having managed to make me <em>like</em> you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">His eyes widened, surprised and delighted by her words “I…” he started, running his index finger over his aching lip “My apologies. That was not my intention. Just as it was not my intention to fall in love with you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Rose rolled her eyes, although she felt her face flush and her heart quicken when she heard him say he liked her too “I don't want your damn apologies! They are not going to bring back everything the First Order took from me.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I know. I'm so…” he started and she shut him up again.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">This time, she didn't bite him and he kissed her calmly, enjoying every second she allowed him to kiss her. Having hit, bitten and shouted at him, helped her to lessen her anger and Rose allowed herself to enjoy the sensations of being in his arms, that <em>delicious</em> and <em>addictive</em> feeling of feeling complete, allowed herself to enjoy kissing him, allowed her hands to touch him, allowed herself to enjoy every second of contact with him. When their lips parted, he held her face with both hands, his eyes fixed on hers and caressed her cheek gently, as if he feared to hurt her “If you keep kissing me like this, Flower, I will start to think you like me more than you hate me.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Rose allowed herself to give him a small smile "Unfortunately, the fact that I hate you does not negate the fact that I like you too."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Is that why you can't decide whether to kiss me or bite me?" he asked in a surprisingly playful tone.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"If you continue to be an asshole, instead of kissing you, I will shoot you."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">This time, he took the initiative and kissed her vigorously and, <em>kriff</em>, how well that man kissed! She slid her hands over his chest until they landed on the back of his neck and then her fingers dipped into his hair, messing it up.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He captured her bottom lip between his teeth and bit it lightly, before kissing her gently and looking her in the eye again “I daydreamed with this moment many times.” he said and then kissed her cheeks and her neck, until he reached her ear where he nibbled on her earlobe before saying in a hoarse voice “I fell in love with you and I just confessed my feelings for you, but...” he looked her in the eyes, he frowned and smiled “I still don't know your real name, Haysian Flower.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She laughed. Of course, he didn't know. Wasn't that why they were there? To know each other's identity?</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“My name is Rose. Rose Tico.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Rose.” he repeated slowly, caressing her face and putting a lock of hair behind her ear "It suits you."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Thanks." she said, with a smile.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux kissed her lips lightly “Both are beautiful and dangerous and can make you bleed if you are not careful when holding them.” she felt her face get hot “You, of course, already know who I am.” she nodded “I need to say that if I suspected you were my contact and that this,” he kissed her for a few seconds “would happen, I would have proposed this meeting when you said you liked our conversations too.” he said and rested his forehead against hers.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“If we had met at that time, I would have shot you the moment I saw you disembark from that shuttle.” she said sincerely “I would have shot first and asked questions later.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He looked her in the eye “Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you didn’t attempt against my physical integrity with a blaster, but why didn't you shoot?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I think you won't like to hear.” she said and he frowned “You can thank your Supreme Leader when you meet him again.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Ren?" he said and she nodded. Hux gaped at her for a few seconds. “<em>What did Ren do?</em>”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">What had Kylo Ren done? He had felt and shown compassion for his enemy and had killed his master to save Rey’s life. He had saved the one he loved and he had shown that not every monster was irredeemable.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Rose knew this because she had, in a way, spotted a conversation between Jakku's girl and the Supreme Leader of the First Order in the Falcon. From Rose's perspective, Rey was talking to herself, but suddenly, the black-clad figure of Kylo Ren had materialized before her eyes when he touched Rey's cheek and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Rose had been so surprised that when Kylo disappeared again, Rey had found her paralyzed and staring at her and with no other choice but to explain what had just happened.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">And that was how she learned of the intense and <em>complicated</em> relationship between the two, that her friend was in love with someone on the enemy side, just like her. And if anything had become extremely clear to Rose during her conversations with Rey, it was that Kylo Ren (or Ben Solo as she called him) also loved her. Knowing all of this had helped her deal with and process her feelings for the spy, since it had been inevitable not to see the similarities between what the two girls were experiencing. Both liking someone on the enemy side. Both of them liking someone who considered himself a monster and who refused to see that there was both light and darkness within them.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“He had compassion and saved someone from the Resistance. Someone very important to me.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“The scavenger.” he said and she nodded “And you had compassion for your enemy too, for the spy.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Not just compassion. After all those conversations and confessions, I believed that <em>you</em> could become someone better if you had a chance, if someone trusted and believed in you, just like happened with Kylo Ren when Rey trusted and believed in him. Even though your intention was different when you decided to help the Resistance, at some point along the way, you started your journey towards your redemption. And I still believe that. There is still hope for you, Armitage Hux.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">His face softened and he caressed her cheek “If there is any hope for me it is because of you.” he took her hand and placed it over his heart “Because you sowed it, nurtured it and helped it grow.” he kissed her lips softly “Rose, you knocked down every single wall I built around my heart as if they were made of sand.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She smiled against his lips “I never imagined that I would hear those words coming out of your mouth, General.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He laughed “I never even imagined that I would fall in love and when that happened, I held on to a thread of hope that my contact could like me too.” he said and kissed her neck, making her body burn “But I never imagined that I would see <em>you</em> again or that I could hold <em>you</em> in my arms.” he continued on his way until he reached her lips and kissed her as if he wanted to devour her.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">His hands landed on her hips and squeezed it lightly as her arms wrapped around his neck, and her hands gripped and pulled his hair, bringing their bodies even closer, the pulse between her legs accelerating with each second and she moaned in his mouth when she realized that she was not the only one being <em>affected</em>.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Intoxicated by the sensations caused by him, Rose rubbed herself against his erection, wanting to feel it against her skin, and Hux groaned and a slight tremor ran through his body, causing his hands to squeeze her hips and press her against his body. Happy with his reaction, one of her hands loosened his hair and slowly went down to caress his neck, his chest, going lower and lower as his mouth left her lips and began to kiss and take light bites on her neck. She could feel the moisture building up between her legs and just before her hand got to where it wanted to touch, Hux put a little distance between their bodies, but without taking his hands off her body.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Flower!" he said in a shaky and surprised voice, his cheeks slightly flushed, but his eyes filled with the same wild desire that she knew he could see in hers.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She looked at him with feigned innocence "What, Fighter?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“We…” he took a deep breath, trying to regain his self-control “We… I don't think it would be <em>appropriate</em>. I don't know if we should...”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"You don’t want?" she interrupted him knowing that he couldn't deny that he wanted it as much as she did.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"<em>I </em> <em>do</em> <em>!</em>" he replied hastily and she smiled, satisfied "Actually, I never wanted anyone so much in my life, Rose, but I don't think we should."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She narrowed her eyes and examined his face for a few seconds. Not that there was anything wrong, but… what if he… “Hux, are you a virgin?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"<em>What? No!</em>" he said indignantly “I have been with other women, but none of them has ever meant anything to me. They just...”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He hesitated and she continued "They only served to ease the tension?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He nodded, but avoided her gaze when he whispered, "Maybe I'm just afraid."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She held his jaw and made him look at her “Afraid of what? Of hurting me?” she asked softly.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He shook his head, denying “I'm afraid of losing you, Rose.” he stroked her cheek and she waited for him to continue “Everything I ever loved was taken from me. My mother. The First Order. I don't want to lose you and I'm afraid they'll take you away from me.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She couldn't promise that he would never lose her. None of them had any control over what could happen to them. Rose looked him in the eye and smiled “Hux, we are at war and whether we like it or not, we will always lose someone or something we love.” she put her hand on his chest and could feel the frantic beating of his heart “That is why we have to live while we are alive.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He studied her face for a few seconds before saying “Are you sure you want to do this with me? With your enemy?” she nodded “You can regret it and I don't want to be a regret in your life, Rose.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“My only regret would be to say goodbye to you <em>before</em> we do what we both want.” she stood on tiptoe and kissed him “I don't know what will happen to both of us when we leave this planet, but I know that I want to share this moment with you before I have to say goodbye to you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She could see his self-control turning to dust when his eyes landed on her lips and in the next instant, Hux was kissing her with renewed vigor. When their lips parted, he took her in his arms and started walking back to his ship.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I'm perfectly capable of walking, you know?” she said with feigned indignation, but snuggled into his arms.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I know, Flower and I deeply respect your independence. But I want to hold you in my arms as long as I can. As you wisely reminded me, one of us can die at any moment and I intend to enjoy every second that I am with you.” he said and carried her into the ship while she placed soft kisses on his jaw.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux took her to a small room, with a small bed obviously meant for only one person, but that would not stop them. He carefully placed her on the floor and she could see a mixture of fear, desire and anticipation in his eyes. Even though she was nervous, she reached for the buttons on her blouse and slowly began to unbutton one by one as he carefully watched her every move.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She bit her bottom lip and smiled “You can help me if you want.” he smiled and each helped the other to undress calmly, placing soft kisses on the newly exposed skin, until there was nothing left to remove but her necklace. Without the many layers of clothing surrounding him, Hux looked smaller, his body lean and muscular and his skin pale, untouched by sunlight and marked by scars. Rose's heart sank when she saw the marks on his body. Most were concentrated on his back, but there were some on his arms, torso and legs.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Was it your father who did all this?” she asked softly.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He looked at her with uncertainty and sadness when he realized that her gaze had landed on his scars “Most of them.” he replied “Once I heard Ren saying he wanted to let the past die,” his hand rested on a scar on his ribs, just below his heart “but it is difficult to let the past die when it is marked on your body and every time you look at yourself you see everything you would like to forget.” he looked at the scar on his finger, the one she had made when she bit him “This is the only one I wouldn't want to forget.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux held out a hand that she readily held and he looked her up and down “You are so beautiful, Flower.” he said with true adoration in his eyes. He pressed her against his body and his hands went to her hair and gently loosened it from its buns, letting it fall against her back and his long fingers slid down its length “Is this really happening or am I dreaming and am I going to wake up alone in my rooms?” he whispered in her ear, his hands running around her back.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She looked him in the eye “You are not dreaming. You are no longer alone.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He smiled and his eyes shone “I imagined this moment so many times...” he whispered “After our conversations, I found myself wondering what you would look like...” he held her face in both hands “… and then your face, the face of that girl who bit me, invaded my mind...” he kissed her lips and went down to her neck “… and I let my imagination take me to more pleasant places...” he kissed her shoulder and went down until he reached between her breasts “… where you let me touch you...” his hand wrapped her right breast lovingly and he placed soft kisses, making her nipples harden “… and explore every inch of your body...”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Rose felt her body shudder as he whispered his fantasies against her skin and realized them shortly thereafter. She never imagined that someone like Armitage Hux could be so tender, so sweet, so careful. How could someone who commanded an immense army and star destroyers and ordered the destruction of entire worlds to touch her with such affection and reverence, as if she were the most precious and wonderful thing in his life? How could someone who had received only contempt and cruelty during his life managed to show such care and affection for someone? For her?</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She couldn't help but moan when, after laying her on the bed, he took delicate bites of her skin, more to tease her than to mark her. Hux kissed and explored her body and made her reach her first orgasm using his mouth and his long fingers. The second didn't take long and he was buried deep inside her, making her moan and call out his name, her walls contracting and bringing him to his climax as well.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"I love you, Rose." he said when the two lay down, facing each other on the small bed, trying to catch their breath after their climax. She looked into his green eyes and there was only truth there.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She ran a hand through his tousled red hair and then stroked his cheek. "Strange as it may seem, I love you too, Armitage."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He covered them with the black sheet of the bed and the two entwined their bodies and she could have sworn she heard him whisper <em>‘Maybe I really have to thank Ren.’</em> before falling asleep safely in his arms.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hours later, Rose was the first to wake up. She let go of his hand carefully so as not to wake him, propped herself up on one elbow and gently brushed away strands of hair that covered his face. She studied his sleeping face, serene and looking younger than he was, trying to memorize every detail, from his long and almost white lashes, to the shape of his nose and the curves of his lips and feared the moment that was approaching, the moment when they would have to say goodbye and return to their lives. Rose proudly observed the various bite marks she had left on his chest and shoulders (along with several scratches on his back) as a reminder of what had happened between them and placed a soft kiss on the scar on his chest making his skin prickle and Hux snuggled closer to her. At that moment, she wished she could make time stand still, or perhaps do with what time they had left, be extended, but she knew that as soon as he opened his eyes, they would have to separate.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Even fearing the moment of separation, when he also woke up, she was the first to stand. They both had duties to perform, and if he stayed away much longer, it might raise some suspicion about him and it could cost him his life. The two dressed silently and occasionally glanced in the direction of each other and smiled when their eyes met.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The two walked hugging each other out of the ship to be able to say goodbye and saw that the afternoon was coming to an end.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux looked her in the eye “I need you to know that before, when I decided to become a spy, it was out of spite and my only goal was to destroy Ren in order to command the First Order, but now everything has changed.” he stroked her cheek “Now I <em>will destroy</em> the First Order so I can <em>be with you</em>, my Flower.” he said and placed a small device in the palm of her hand, closed her fingers and placed a soft kiss “This device contains all sorts of information that I have been able to gather about the Order in recent weeks.” he explained “The size of our fleet and where the destroyers are, our inventory of weapons, troopers and other resources. And also the names of the arms and ship sellers who do business with the Order and probably with the Resistance too. If half of what I heard about her is true, I'm sure General Organa will make good use of that intel.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She nodded and put the device in her pocket “You don't have to go back there.” he frowned and she continued “You can start a new life from now.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He stroked her cheek “I don't think your Resistance scum friends are going to be happy and welcome me with open arms just because I've been leaking intel about the Order.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She knew he was right. Even though he helped the Resistance in the last few months, they would make him answer for his crimes and would not have for him the compassion she had.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">While she believed that a person could redeem themselves through actions that could atone the damage done, she knew that few people believed that someone could pay for their crimes in any way other than with life, whether with death or life imprisonment. Hux would certainly be arrested at the very least if he were taken to the Resistance at that time and she would be considered a traitor if their relationship was discovered.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I don't care about the approval of others. Your opinion is the only one that matters to me.” he said when he saw the sadness in her eyes “It was because of you that I realized that I could choose to be someone better and all I wanted most was to start a new life with you right now and leave everything behind.” he stroked her cheek “Nothing that I have done as a spy will undo the harm I have done, Rose, but I know I can help by staying there. I have to go back and finish what I started or all the risks I have taken so far will have been in vain.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I know.” she said, her voice almost a whisper.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Besides, there's someone waiting for me at the Steadfast and I couldn't run away and leave her behind. I am the only person she has.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Rose felt a twinge of jealousy in her chest “<em>S</em> <em>he? Who is she?”</em></p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Are you jealous, Flower?” he asked with an amused smile.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Maybe.” she said, slightly embarrassed “Who?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Millicent. <em>My cat.</em>”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She couldn't help but smile “I didn't know you had a pet.” she said enthusiastically “I love animals! Why did you never tell me about her?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“For precaution. If that information leaked, I would be discovered. I am the only First Order officer who has a cat.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“How does she looks like? Bet she is black!”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“No, Millie has red hair, just like me.” his face lit up “She is very smart and likes to play with the mouse droids. She doesn't let other people besides me touch her so only I can bathe her. Millie is overprotective and doesn't like other people to come near me.” he smiled “She loves that I pet her under her ears and has the irritating habit of licking me when I get out of the shower.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Rose smiled as she imagined everything he said “Will she like me?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Millicent will love you as much as I love, Flower.” he kissed her nose, cheeks and lips “It is impossible to know you and not to love you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She held his face with both hands. “I promise I will keep Millicent's existence a secret.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Thank you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Since you really need to go back, promise me you'll be careful?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux nodded, “I always am. I have carefully covered all my tracks and I think the only way for them to find out that I am the spy is if Ren decides to look in my mind. And he is so busy looking for his scavenger, that I really doubt he is caring about the existence of a spy in the First Order.” he frowned “On second thought, maybe he doesn't even need my help to destroy everything.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“He may be distracted, but there are others who want to discover the spy's identity. You must not underestimate the intelligence and perseverance of ambitious people wanting to be in the good graces of the Supreme Leader or who may also wish to take over from Kylo. They wouldn't hesitate to kill you if they found out you're the spy and I don't want to lose you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He held her hands “I know, my Flower. I have never underestimated my enemies and it is not now that I will make this mistake, I promise.” she nodded “I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I will look forward to it.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He hugged her and the two were silent for a few seconds “I wish I could have met you at a different time, Rose.” he said and kissed her lips softly “I wish I could sleep and wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life and have a family with you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“We can still have it all, Armie.” she said, her voice almost a whisper “When the war is over.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He was silent for a few seconds and his voice was full of hope when he asked “Do you promise?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She smiled “I promise.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux hugged her tightly and kissed her with such fervor that it took her breath away.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“When the war is over.” he whispered and gave her another kiss before releasing her and boarding his ship.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“When the war is over.” she whispered as she watched his ship take off and returned to the Resistance base with more hope than she had ever felt.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>On his way back to the Steadfast Hux thinks about what happened and what he is going to do to end the war.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Returning to the First Order after finding out </span>
  <span>
    <em>who</em>
  </span>
  <span> his contact in the Resistance was was the most difficult thing that Armitage Hux had ever forced himself to do in his life.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Not even when he found himself with no options but to become a spy and start helping the Resistance just to not see Kylo Ren win that war, had he felt so divided. He saw the act of spying for the enemy side not as a </span>
  <span>
    <em>betrayal</em>
  </span>
  <span>, but as</span>
  <span>
    <em> a means to an end</em>
  </span>
  <span> so that he could get that despicable, brute and inept Kylo Ren out of his way and lead the First Order into its glorious future.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren's lack of control and commitment to the fundamental objectives of the First Order made him the worst choice for the post of supreme ruler and, knowing Ren as he did, Hux feared that the self-styled Supreme Leader would weaken and jeopardize everything they had achieved because of </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> ridiculous obsession with the scavenger instead of focusing on governing. Hux knew very well that he was not the only one to think like that and not the only one to want to take Ren's place and he feared that, when he managed to assume power, there would not be much left to govern. So while the others waited for the scavenger to decide to kill </span>
  <span>Ren</span>
  <span> the next time they came face to face and dueled, Hux had decided </span>
  <span>
    <em>to act</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>With his power diminished to practically nothing within the First Order, Hux had pondered his ambitions and options. In general, Hux had no problem getting rid of all those who stood in his way and he could even try to kill Ren, but he knew that the likelihood that he would end up dead was vastly larger.</span> <span>Hux was an ambitious man, who wanted power above anything else and he had always known that being patient and carefully considering each step was the key to success, which would lead him to absolute power. So, with his influence and power diminished to practically nothing within the First Order, he had to think of an alternative and ended up concluding that sabotaging Ren was his best option. </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And the best way to sabotage Ren was to help the Resistance.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He knew that he would be in great danger in doing so and that the chances of Ren finding out that he was the spy were great and would be greater if he were not so obsessed with looking for the scavenger that, according to him, had killed not only the Supreme Leader Snoke and his praetorian guard as well as having managed to defeat him once again.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>After making his decision, Hux had taken action. It had all started with him making anonymous contact with General Leia Organa. As expected, </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> collaboration was viewed with suspicion, but after a few successful missions, General Organa finally seemed to trust him and the intel he provided them with. It was still hard for him to believe that the experienced general had trusted him to the point of accepting his help without him needing to give further proof of his </span>
  <span>
    <em>real intentions.</em>
  </span>
  <span> At the time, he had concluded that she must be very desperate, but now he thought she had seen something in him that, just now, he was discovering himself.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Over time, the Resistance General had appointed someone of her utmost confidence to contact him and receive all the sensitive intel he had to give them. He had tried to be as cordial and direct as possible in his communications with his contact, but without his realizing it, a relationship of mutual trust had begun to form between the two. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Even though he didn't want to know what the Resistance decided to do with the intel he gave them, his contact made sure to tell him all the small victories achieved by the rebel scum. For him, what mattered was seeing Ren's reaction during the meetings with the Supreme Council when he was informed of the enemy's actions. He secretly delighted when he saw the other man's uncontrolled reaction to being told how the Resistance he had failed to obliterate at Crait was being able to disrupt and sabotage most of his plans.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>His contact with the Resistance was hearty and more attentive than he had anticipated. Even though he insisted on keeping things as impersonal as possible, every time she sent him a '</span>
  <span>
    <em>Be careful'</em>
  </span>
  <span> at the end of each communication, he felt strange. By her words, the way she expressed her pride in his actions and her concern for him, Hux had ended up sympathizing and becoming attached to his contact. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>For weeks he had tried to understand what he was feeling. For weeks he had thought about why those two simple words made him feel warm inside. Then he realized that the fact that someone in the Resistance, someone who was his enemy, was showing so much concern and care for him was making things inside him start to change.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And the speed with which things inside him had changed, had been both incredible and frightening.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He had felt so connected to her that he had even confessed to her that every day he looked forward to something happening in the First Order so that he could have a reason to contact her, a reason to talk to her. He had expected her to feel disgusted by his words and felt foolish for admitting it to someone on the enemy side, but she had assured him that she felt the same way and from that day on, the two became more than a spy and contact and began to build something that looked very much like camaraderie.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Gradually, Haysian Flower had begun to remind him of his past, to touch wounds he had long thought were healed, to face everything he had done, good and bad, in his life. He had told her things that he had never even admitted to himself, that despite everything he had achieved, he still felt like the scared, abused and helpless little boy he once was. She had not hesitated to offer her friendship when he confessed that he had never had a friend or someone he could trust and that he would probably die alone. And since Phasma, the only person he had any kind of bond, had died on board the Supremacy, dying alone was more a certainty than a possibility.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Talking to Haysian Flower almost daily had led him to imagine what she looked like and the fact that she was from Hays Minor, the same planet that the feral rebel who had bitten him had said was her home, made him automatically give her contact </span>
  <span>
    <em>her</em>
  </span>
  <span> face, body and voice. Often, when he was unable to sleep, his thoughts wandered to her and he, even though he knew he should delete them, took his datapad to reread </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> messages and, to his shame, touched himself and took pleasure in thinking about her. When he closed his eyes, he could hear the feral rebel's voice telling him the kind words of his contact and the way </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> eyes would shine when she smiled at him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Gradually, she began to break down every barrier he had so desperately built around his heart to be able to become the man he had become. What he had not imagined was that he would end up not only becoming fond of his contact in the Resistance but falling in love with </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span>. That connection he had felt with her, the warmth that spread through his chest when he talked or just thought about her, turned out to be something much stronger and deeper than he had ever felt or thought he could ever feel for another being. Whoever his contact was, she was exactly the kind of person he would love to have beside him on the throne as his Empress, although he doubted that she felt anything for him or that, if she did, she would accept to join him and rule the galaxy </span>
  <span>by his side</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>With each conversation, he felt more and more connected, more and more in love with her, however, when she suggested that the two meet in person, he hesitated. First, because it was extremely risky and the two could end up being discovered and executed for treason. Secondly, a large part of him wanted to maintain the illusion that his contact was actually the feral girl who had bitten him even though he knew that she, most likely, had perished aboard the Supremacy. And third because he was sure that she would be disappointed and disgusted to discover </span>
  <span>
    <em>who</em>
  </span>
  <span> he really was and he was afraid, very afraid that, in revealing his true identity, he would lose that precious relationship that the two had built.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He had tried to convince her that meeting him was not worth the risk, that she would be disappointed to find out who he was, but she was stubborn and insistent and would not be persuaded to give up on meeting him. Unable to change her mind, he had said goodbye and thought about not only stopping contact with her but also destroying the datapad and thinking of another strategy to sabotage Ren's </span>
  <span>rule</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>However, meeting her in person was too tempting an idea to be easily ignored, and for days he had considered the risks of agreeing to reveal his identity to her. For days he had tried to convince himself that he could lose everything he had achieved so far if he agreed to meet her in person. But he knew that pondering the risks was a waste of time, because the moment he read </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> words </span>
  <span>
    <em>‘Just say where and when and I'll be there’ </em>
  </span>
  <span>he had known in his heart that he couldn’t resist the temptation to meet her, that nothing would stop him from finding a way to meet her, even if it cost him dearly.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>As was his nature, he had been extremely careful in choosing a location for their meeting and after some research, he concluded that Batuu would be the perfect place for both. Nervous and anxious, he sent her the coordinates of the place and asked if she wanted to take the risks with him. The fear that she had changed her mind had eroded </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> hopes and the wait for her response had lasted a lifetime and when a simple </span>
  <span>
    <em>'Yes' </em>
  </span>
  <span>appeared on his screen he couldn’t help but cry out of pure joy, frightening poor Millicent who was sleeping in the bed beside him. He had taken a deep breath and with shaking hands suggested that the</span>
  <span>ir</span>
  <span> meeting should take place at the Black Spire Ruins in two standard days to which she promptly replied with an </span>
  <span>
    <em>'I will be there'</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The next two days had been the most tense and anxious and insecure of his life. Part of him wanted her to know him, but the other feared </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> reaction and that she would reject him because of who he </span>
  <span>was</span>
  <span>. Half of him wanted to finally know her real face, but the other half wanted her to be the feral girl who had bitten him. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>It had been easier than he had expected to leave the Steadfast alone. For safety's sake, he didn't lie about his destination and said he was going to Batuu because of ‘personal matters’. It had not been difficult to find her ship in the middle of the Black Spire Ruins and he had landed in the clearing she had chosen for </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> meeting, feeling </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> hands trembling due to the huge amount of adrenaline running through </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> veins.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>To his surprise and joy, it was the feral girl who was waiting for him. When he saw her standing, waiting for him, he whispered to himself, "Of course she survived!" and, without thinking, he had started walking towards her, his heart pounding, wanting only to see her face up close, to make sure she was real and not someone who just looked like her. But then the girl had shot close to his feet, surprising and scaring him. He hadn't expected </span>
  <span>
    <em>her</em>
  </span>
  <span> to receive him warmly, but he hadn't expected her to try to kill him without hearing him first. He had been afraid to see the anger in </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> eyes and had raised his hands in a gesture of surrender wondering if this was not only the end of their friendship but the end of his own life.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux knew that she was right to hate and mistrust him, to think that the real spy might have been discovered, to fear being captured and taken to be interrogated by Ren, but he wanted her not only to believe but to trust him, just as she had believed and trusted the TIE Fighter. It had not been easy to convince her that he was the spy, although he had no doubt that she was his contact. Perhaps if it had been anyone else, he would have kept things on a more practical and friendly level and given her the intel he had taken with him and returned to </span>
  <span>the </span>
  <span>Steadfast.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>But it was </span>
  <span>
    <em>her</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>
    <em>SHE</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The girl who had defied and humiliated him in front of his subordinates.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The girl whose face and voice he imagined when talking to Haysian Flower.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The girl he had imagined ruling the galaxy beside him. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The girl he was </span>
  <span>
    <em>hopelessly in love with</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The shock on her face when he finally managed to convince her that he was the spy, that he was the TIE Fighter, made him want to be someone else, a person who hadn't done everything he did, a person that she might want to have beside her, a person she could </span>
  <span>
    <em>love</em>
  </span>
  <span> without reservation. But he couldn't change his past, much less the person he was, and all he had to do was try to be good enough to at least remain friends with the girl he loved.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hope had begun to blossom in </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> heart when she said that she still thought there was light in him and that she was trying to accept that he and the spy were the same person. Then, once again, he had let General's facade fall and, letting go of all control, had let his heart speak for him, had allowed himself to tell her everything he felt, because he knew it could be the</span>
  <span>
    <em> only one</em>
  </span>
  <span> chance he would have to come face to face with her and say how he felt looking into her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>As he opened his heart to her, he was unconsciously taking small steps toward her, attentive to her every gesture, encouraged by the way anger and suspicion gave way to tenderness and acceptance in </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> beautiful brown eyes. He loved the way her cheeks flushed when he said he had given her face to his contact and he was so close to her that he had felt her body heat against his. When her eyes locked on his, he had trouble remembering how to breathe and he needed all his self-control to keep himself from taking her in his arms and kissing her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The silence that had fallen between them was killing him so he heard himself begging her to say something and his request made her eyes fill with pain and conflict and he found himself begging her to believe what he said, that she believed that he was in love with her and that she would give him at least a thread of hope that she would allow him to show </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> that he could become a better man and that one day he might deserve a place in her life.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>His hand had moved without his permission when he saw the tears running down </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> cheeks and touching her warm, smooth skin had made his heart race and he was grateful that his nervousness had made him forget his gloves in his quarters, even with that shy touch causing an </span>
  <span>
    <em>unexpected</em>
  </span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>
    <em>inappropriate </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>reaction</span>
  </span>
  <span> in </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> body. H</span>
  <span>is</span>
  <span> heart had broken into thousands of little pieces seconds later when she had moved away from his touch, as if the contact was repulsive and pained her. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He had felt a fool to think that she would not find his touch repulsive, that someone like her would allow someone like him to touch her and when she slapped him, he could do nothing but say he deserved it. He knew he deserved </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> rejection and much more after all the pain he had caused </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> and he was prepared to receive any physical punishment that she wished to inflict on him and to be definitely rejected by her. But he was not prepared for what came next, for when he thought that there was no hope, that all was lost, she </span>
  <span>
    <em>kissed</em>
  </span>
  <span> him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>Without hesitating, he had wrapped his arms around her body and tried to convey in that kiss everything he felt for her, how important she was to him, how meaningless his life would be without her. H</span><span>is</span><span> heart had beaten so fast when her lips touched his that he thought he would die and, for the first time in his life, Hux had felt really </span><span><em>safe</em></span><span>, </span><span><em>accepted </em></span><span><span>and</span></span><span><em> wanted. </em></span><span>Holding her in his arms had made him feel</span> <span><em>alive</em></span><span><span>, </span></span><span><em>happy </em></span><span><span>and</span></span><span><em> complete.</em></span><span> As if he had lived his whole life without an essential important part of himself and now that he had found </span><span><em>her</em></span><span>, he had at last become a whole being. </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He had never been as happy to be physically hurt as he was to be bitten by her once again. The painful yet pleasant sensation of </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> teeth biting his lower lip had made him shiver. And he realized that if he had to feel pain in order to be with her, he didn't care. Any pain would be worth it as long as he could be with her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hearing the woman he loved saying that she liked him, too, was even more sublime than being able to hold her in his arms and kiss her. While he held </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> face in his hands and looked into </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> eyes, he couldn't help but provoke her. He couldn't hide that he liked it even more when she fought and teased him too. And it was while he laid soft kisses on her face that he realized that he still didn't know her real name. She had laughed when he said that and the sound of </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> laugh had made him feel warm and when he heard her name, he couldn't help but comment on how perfect that name, </span>
  <span>
    <em>Rose</em>
  </span>
  <span>, was for her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>To his surprise, when he said that he would have proposed to meet her sooner if he knew that </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> meeting would end that way, with her in his arms, she had told him that he should thank Ren for her not having killed him the moment she had put her eyes on him. He gaped at her, waiting for her to tell him that he heard wrong, but then she explained that the fact that Ren had compassion on her scavenger friend, inspired her to not only have compassion but also to hope that the spy, that he, Armitage Hux, could become someone better if he had someone who gave him a chance and believed and trusted him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>His beloved Rose believed that there was still hope for him. She believed there was still time for him to seek to redeem himself. And if there was any chance, any hope that he could, and now longed to follow the path of redemption, it was only because of </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span>. She had broken down </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> barriers and taken possession of his heart and he was happy not only because she was who she was and he could hear her say that she loved him too and hold her in his arms and kiss her, but also because now he was sure that being with her forever depended only on him, on what he chose to do from then on.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And knowing that he would do anything for her and to be with her, he kissed her and delighted in the sensations she caused when she touched </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> body, when she kissed him fervently and enthusiastically, when she held and pulled </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> hair and held him tightly against her to the point of he could no longer hide how much being with her was </span>
  <span>
    <em>affecting</em>
  </span>
  <span> his body. He groaned when he felt her rubbing </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> warm, soft body against his erection, making </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> body tremble with desire. Without thinking, he had squeezed her hips and pressed her even </span>
  <span>harder</span>
  <span> against him, wishing there weren't so many layers of clothing between them and when her hand started to slide down his chest, going lower and lower, he had recovered his </span>
  <span>senses</span>
  <span> and he had put a small distance between their bodies. The last thing he wanted was for Rose to feel forced to have sex with him just because he was turned on.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>After a conversation that ended with him admitting that he was afraid she would be taken from him and making it clear that her only regret would be to let him go without them doing what they both obviously </span>
  <span>
    <em>wanted</em>
  </span>
  <span>, Hux had taken her in his arms, while he reveled in her indignant protests, and had taken her to the small room on his ship. He had already given his heart to her, but when the time came to give </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> his body, nervousness had been joined the fear of losing her and the desire he felt for her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>H</span>
  <span>is</span>
  <span> nervousness had given way to anticipation when she looked at him and began to slowly unbutton her blouse, exposing more and more of her skin. He had watched her every move without knowing exactly what to do, but wanting to kiss every inch of her body, and when she smiled and asked him to help her, he hadn’t hesitated. While she seemed at ease naked before him, he had felt exposed without his many layers of clothing. He wasn’t ashamed of his lean, muscular body or his pale skin, but he felt uncomfortable because without his clothes, now she could see his scars and the last thing he wanted was to tarnish that special moment by explaining to her how he got them.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>Her gaze was filled with sadness and uncertainty when she asked </span><span>him</span><span> if they had been </span><span>his</span><span> father's work. Inevitably, flashes of his past flashed through his mind when he told </span><span>her</span><span> that most had been his doing. The scar that was on his ribs, just below his heart, was</span> <span>result of a rage that his father had after getting drunk with </span><span>his</span><span> friends. Hux, still a little boy, had dropped a tray of glasses and, as a punishment, his father had used one of the broken glass to cut his skin and leave a reminder of </span><span>his</span><span> uselessness. </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He was not ready to talk about his scars, and he had told </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> how he wished he could forget everything he had lived with his father, but it was difficult to let his past die when </span>
  <span>it</span>
  <span> was </span>
  <span>marked </span>
  <span> all over his body and that he had only to look at himself to remember everything he wanted to forget. However, he made sure to make it clear that of all his scars, there was only one that he would never want to forget who gave it and how he got it: the scar she had made on </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> finger when she bit him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux had forced himself to concentrate on the present, to concentrate only on her. In front of him was the most beautiful and extraordinary woman he had ever met and he was not going to let anything spoil that moment. He had extended his hand to her and she had smiled sweetly in accepting it. He had imagined that moment so many times in his moments of rest in his chambers and he had enjoyed exploring her soft skin with his mouth and hands while telling her everything he wanted to do with her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Rose's moans were like music to </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> ears and feeling her nails and teeth marking </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> skin as he gave her pleasure had made him love her and want her even more. When he finally buried himself in her, the two becoming one, he couldn't help but think how he had never had something like this, </span>
  <span>
    <em>so intimate </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>and</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em> sweet</em>
  </span>
  <span>, with another </span>
  <span>person</span>
  <span> and when she reached her second climax, his name being said between moans of pleasure, he had reached his climax too. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He had held her in his arms, and when she fell asleep, he couldn't help but smile and admit that </span>
  <span>
    <em>maybe</em>
  </span>
  <span> he really had to thank Ren. It was strange to think that of all the people in that immense galaxy, he owed part of that happiness to his greatest enemy, whom he had been sabotaging and wanting to take his place for months.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>With Rose in his arms he had fallen asleep and dreamed of the two of them making love under a starry sky. When he woke up, he wished he were free to choose to leave with her, and before he lost the courage to return to the First Order, he had followed her example and stood up and dressed. Rose understood that their duties were above their personal desires and that had given </span>
  <span>him</span>
  <span> strength. Together, they walked out of the ship in order to say goodbye and he had made it clear to her that he would do everything in his power to destroy the First Order so that he could be free to be with her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>After handing her the intel he had taken with </span>
  <span>him</span>
  <span>, she had suggested that he not come back and start a new life with her at that moment. He wished he could do just that, leave with her and start a new life, but it was not yet the right time. In addition to knowing that the rebel scum would likely put him in prison as soon as they saw him, he could not leave his beloved Millicent behind. Millie had been the only thing that had kept him sane for the past few years, and he loved her too much to abandon her. With pleasure, he had talked about his feline companion to Rose and couldn't help wondering what their first meeting would be like.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He wished from the bottom of his heart that he had met Rose at a different time, a time when they were not fighting on opposite sides of a war and that they were free to live their love and have a life and a family together. H</span>
  <span>is</span>
  <span> heart had filled with hope when she assured him, promised him that they could still have it one day, when the war was over. Saying goodbye to her was not easy, but with his heart full of love and hope, he had kissed her until they were both breathless and embarked on his ship. He hadn't looked back. He had feared that if he saw </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> face again, he would lose all courage to leave.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The hours spent alone in hyperspace on </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> journey back to the flagship of the First Order were full of memories, doubts and regrets.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>
    <em>Memories</em>
  </span>
  <span> of the sweet moments spent with his </span>
  <span>feral</span>
  <span> and adorable Flower, where he just had to close his eyes to be able to feel her taste in his mouth, the heat of her body against his, the softness of her black hair in his hands and face, to hear her voice saying she loved him too.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>
    <em>Doubts</em>
  </span>
  <span> about his decision to return to the </span>
  <span>First </span>
  <span>Order instead of leaving with Rose and starting a new life where he could leave his past and his mistakes behind and be a new man. Doubts about whether he would succeed in ending that war or whether he would end up being discovered by Ren and executed.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>
    <em>Regrets</em>
  </span>
  <span> that he never, not even for a second, disputed anything he had been told and taught, for having accepted to do everything his father had ordered, even though he knew he had never loved him and would never love him and would never be proud of his bastard son. Definitely, the biggest </span>
  <span>of his </span>
  <span>regret was having lived his life trying to show his father his worth. He had spent his life listening to his father not only disdain him for his bastard birth, as he had also had to hear him say that he was a coward, a weakling, a worthless one and that he would never be worthy of carrying his surname or </span>
  <span>his </span>
  <span>legacy.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He had never had time or reasons to rethink his life or the choices he had made, and when his conversations with Rose led him not only to open up to her but to think about everything he had lived, Armitage Hux realized that very little of what he thought it had been his choice had in fact been </span>
  <span>
    <em>decided</em>
  </span>
  <span> by him. Now Hux saw how his father had made most of the choices that he alone had to make. It was his father who had taken his life, his future in his hands, who had shaped him into the person he was now.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>It wasn't Armitage's choice to become who he was, but what other option had he, in fact, had? As fugitives and hunted by the newly created New Republic, isolated and living on the edge of the galaxy, being fueled by nothing more than hatred and resentment and being treated as an inferior and useless being by his father and those closest to him, either Armitage learned to be like everyone else or he would have been abused physically, verbally and psychologically to the point of ending his own life.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>For Brendol, his son was and always would be a weakling, a manipulable fool, useless and unambitious, but he was too proud to abandon the only son he had managed to father and who could carry on his legacy, and too cruel to give the least bit of affection to a bastard. So, little Armitage had done the only thing he thought he could do. He had learned to be cold, calculating and cruel, to use people, to care for nothing but himself and to rise above everyone who had done him harm and take revenge by showing everyone that he could be better than them all and that one day he would rule the galaxy.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux had buried the innocent and fragile boy that he had been as deep as he could, built the figure of the cold General and hoped that his former self would die buried by years of hatred, isolation, abuse and paranoia. But that was not what had happened. Rose had managed to rescue that little boy and with </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> gentle nature, </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> compassion and empathy was helping him to heal and to see that it was not too late to choose another path, to choose to be something other than what his father had chosen him to be. In fact, it would be a great revenge against </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> father if he chose to adopt Rose's family name when they </span>
  <span>got</span>
  <span> married and their children would carry only her family name and...</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He felt his face flush when he realized where his daydream had taken him. If there was one thing he had never thought of in his life, it was getting married or having children. He had always thought that his legacy to the galaxy would be the First Order and </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> conquests, but now he was not only thinking but looking forward to the moment when he could be with Rose forever and see </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> belly grow with their </span>
  <span>child</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>form</span>
  <span> a family with her.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>But would he be a good husband and father?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Would he treat his children the way his father treated him?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>No.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He would never act with his children the way Brendol had acted with him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>
    <em>Never!</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>It was enough to think of Millicent, whom he loved and cared for as if she were his own flesh, and he was sure that he </span>
  <span>
    <em>was</em>
  </span>
  <span> different from his father. He loved Rose more than his own life and would love </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> children with even more fervor and devotion and he would protect and make them feel wanted and loved every day of their lives.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux stared at the hyperspace lights and took a deep breath, forcing himself to stop daydreaming. As comforting and attractive as it was to dream about the future, he had to focus on the present, the here and now. And in the present, there was a war to be fought and won, or rather, </span>
  <span>
    <em>lost</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And, unlike his daydreams, the reality was not encouraging.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ending a war was not as easy as starting </span>
  <span>one</span>
  <span>, especially a war against something so motivated and full of resources and people willing to do anything for victory as the First Order was. Even with all </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> disposition, taking down the First Order from the inside would be an arduous and lonely task, for he knew that he could not trust anyone but himself to accomplish that task. Having someone from the Supreme Council as an ally or having </span>
  <span>his former</span>
  <span> power restored would be of great help, but he knew that the first hypothesis was practically impossible and Ren would never allow the second to happen. He knew very well how loyal the members of the First Order were and doubted that anyone other than him would agree to help the enemy side and accept the risk of being discovered by Kylo Ren.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He also knew that the Resistance would be his only ally and, thanks to his own efforts in the past, they would continue as the only force opposing the First Order in the entire galaxy and that the disparity between the two factions in terms of military power and financial resources would ensure that the war dragged on for a long period of time and he was in a hurry. </span>
  <span>
    <em>Too much hurry.</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>With his power and influence within the Order practically reduced to nothing, he would have to find a way to diminish financial resources and sabotage the military </span>
  <span>power</span>
  <span>, he would need to focus on weakening the Order to the point that the Resistance could defeat it at once. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Although his current strategy to make Ren look like a mediocre and inept ruler was working, Hux knew that now it would be necessary to distract him to the point where he completely </span>
  <span>
    <em>neglected</em>
  </span>
  <span> his duties as Supreme Leader. And the most effective way to do this would be to use his obsession with the scavenger. Everyone in the First Order had realized that Ren had a soft spot for her and it would be easy to lure him into a trap and kill him if she agreed to be used as bait and, maybe, executioner. Could Rose convince her friend to do this? Would the scavenger kill </span>
  <span>Ren</span>
  <span> if Hux provided the opportunity or would she have compassion for him just as he had for her?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>But even if she agreed and helped him kill Ren, first Hux would have to get rid of Ren's Knights, the Supreme Leader's faithful and </span>
  <span>murderous</span>
  <span> bodyguards. And, perhaps, if Hux was lucky, in killing Ren the six would consider themselves free to return to their former lives and leave the Order without looking back. Or maybe not.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Dealing with the Supreme Council would be one of the most delicate parts, but if Hux were smart, he would be able to get rid of them too. While Ren, and consequently his Knights, was distracted looking for the scavenger's whereabouts, the council members were looking for the spy, strengthening </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> influence within the First Order and looking for an opportunity to get rid of Ren. As dangerous as it was, Hux would need to continue leaking intel to help the Resistance. It was essential that he attack from the inside while they attack from the outside.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>At the moment, the </span>
  <span>
    <em>simplest</em>
  </span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>
    <em>fastest</em>
  </span>
  <span> way, probably the most </span>
  <span>
    <em>dangerous</em>
  </span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>
    <em>risky</em>
  </span>
  <span> as well, that he could think of to deal with all this was to continue with his original plan to take Ren out of power and take command of the First Order. Only now, instead of governing, he would end it all.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And then, without the war to get in the way, the main purpose of </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> life would become the best husband and father that had ever existed in the galaxy.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hux communicates with Rose and is summoned by the Supreme Leader to a meeting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p class="western">After landing the ship in the hangar, Hux ignored his instinct to go to the bridge to catch up on what had happened in the First Order during his absence and went straight to his private quarters.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He didn’t bother to erase his travel data from the ship's log, as his travel to Batuu was no secret to anyone and, in describing its reason as <em>'personal'</em> , he didn’t need to explain further. In other times, the fact that he never took or needed time to settle personal matters (not even when his father died) might have attracted attention, but today his power was so low that he often felt invisible and <em>not necessary</em>.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Since the Steadfast was under the command of Allegiant General Enric Pryde, Hux's absence from the bridge would not be felt in the same way if he were the destroyer commander and, frankly, he was not so eager to be in the same environment as the grouchy old man. For the first time since Ren had assumed the Order, Hux felt that having less power and less responsibility had its advantages.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Millicent was waiting for him at the door and received him as usual, rubbing her orange body on his legs while demanding his attention with loud and insistent meows.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Hello, my dear! Did you miss daddy?” he asked and she meowed once in response "I missed you too."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He bent down, took her in his arms and hugged her. For a few seconds he just held her tight against his chest, his face against her soft, fragrant fur, and she purred with satisfaction at the attention she was receiving.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He looked into her green eyes and she looked back at him "Did you behave well while daddy was gone?" she blinked slowly and meowed again and he smiled "Of course, you behaved!" he stroked between her ears, the way she liked "Are you hungry, my dear?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The cat tried to get out of his arms and he understood it as <em>‘I’m starving. I thought you would never notice that!’ </em>And then he kissed the top of her head and placed her on the floor.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">After feeding her and renewing her water, he made a thorough search for any listening devices in his quarters and after making sure it was safe, took out the datapad he used to communicate with the Resistance and turned it on. Eagerly, he connected the device to the channel he used to chat with Rose and typed:</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Flower, I arrived safely. There were no troopers waiting for me in the hangar, so I believe that my </em> <em>travel</em> <em> did not generate any kind of suspicion and the identity of the spy remains unknown. What about you?</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The minutes passed, but he didn't get an answer. He forced himself not to think the worst. Perhaps the location of the current Resistance base was further from Batuu than the current location of the Steadfast.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">To reduce his anxiety, he decided to take a shower. He could still smell Rose on his clothes and smiled when, after undressing, he saw that some of the marks she had made on his body were still visible, both the scratches on his back and the bites on his chest and shoulders. He carefully touched the mark on his left shoulder and closed his eyes, remembering that she had bitten him there when she reached her climax.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux was feeling a lightness in his body, in his mind and in his spirit that he had never experienced before. The water running down his body felt different, as if he were not only washing away the dirt and sweat from his skin, but also taking the weight he had carried all his life and was only now realizing he carried. He closed his eyes and concentrated on that delicious sensation and realized that he did not remember the last time he had done this, had allowed himself to relax and enjoy a bath. Not having his mind flooded with paranoid or vengeful thoughts was another thing. Now his thoughts were on devising a strategy to end the war and on Rose and the future they would have together.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">When he got out of the shower his feline companion was sitting in the middle of the room, watching his every move, curiously and attentively instead of being somewhere taking a nap as was her custom. She went to him and he took her in his arms and plunged his face into her soft fur and a few seconds later he heard her purring.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"I have so many things to tell you." he started stroking her fur while telling about his date with Rose and what he had decided to do "One misstep and I could end up dead inside a trash compactor and you thrown into the vacuum of space." he said and looked her in the eye "But if I do everything right and succeed, our lives are going to change forever, Millie."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The cat licked his chin, making him laugh and the sound echoed in his quarters.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Although you have this habit of licking me, today I'm going to consider it as <em>'I'm with you, daddy'</em>." he put her on the floor and watched her walk to his desk and climb on the furniture that was her favorite place to take naps.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">When he finished dressing, he checked the datapad and smiled with relief when he saw that Rose had answered his message:</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Fighter! I am relieved to hear from you. I also arrived safely.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I was in a meeting with General Organa. I gave her the intel you gave me and she was very excited about the possibilities.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>And she also asked me how I got this information.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter: </b> </em> <em>And what did you say?</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">A few seconds later she replied:</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Are you in a safe place? We can talk now?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Yes, we can talk now.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Good.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I told the General the truth, that I went to meet our spy in person.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux felt his blood run cold, but waited for her to continue.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> And when she asked me if I knew who you were, I thought it best to reveal your identity. At first she was very surprised that you decided to help the Resistance, but when I told her that you were helping us to be able to sabotage KR’s government and take command of the FO, she didn't seem surprised and your decision made sense to her.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Resistance was now a vital part of his plan to end the First Order. Was General Organa still willing to continue receiving his help now that she knew who he was and what were the supposed reasons behind his actions?</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Do you think there is a possibility that she will end our partnership and stop using the intel I provide for fear that I will turn against the Resistance in the future?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I will not lie to you, Fighter. She is sure that the first thing you would do if you took control of the First Order would be to hunt us down and guarantee our destruction, but, at least for now, the General thinks we should continue to use everything you can get for us.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Although she is not wrong to assume that, after all that was exactly my original plan, I am relieved to know that she decided to continue to trust me.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> She will accept your help as long as she thinks it is safe for us.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> You know I don't pose a threat to the Resistance anymore, don't you? The only thing I want now is to end this war as soon as possible so I can be with you.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Yes, I know. And I'm sure she'll eventually realize that you are no longer a threat to us. </em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter: </b> </em> <em>Flower, did you tell her anything about us?</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I mean, about you and me being in love and planning to spend the rest of our lives together.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em>I didn’t</em><em>. The only person who knows about us is Rey. </em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>She already knew about my feelings for the spy and, as she was the only one who knew I was going to meet you, I couldn't hide from her what happened between us in Batuu.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux felt his cheeks burning at the thought that someone else knew what had happened between the two of them, but before he could make any comment, she continued:</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Please promise me that you will not panic at what I am going to tell you next.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I promise I'll TRY not to panic about what you're going to tell me.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Right. Keep that promise in mind. I have a strong suspicion and I think I better tell you now.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I didn't say anything, but I think General Leia knows about us.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> What do you mean by that?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Exactly what I said.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I think the General knows that there is something MORE between you and me.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> But you said you didn't tell her about us.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> And I didn't.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>But I think she realized by the way I blushed when I told a 'more professional' version of our meeting in Batuu.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"><em>Well, maybe ‘knowing’ is not the right word for the situation, but </em> <em>she</em> <em> certainly ‘suspects’, ‘feels’ that something else happened in Batuu besides a meeting between spy and contact.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Panic took over Hux's body as he read and the only thing he could think of was to run away as quickly and as far as possible.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> I just changed my mind, Flower.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Let's run away.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>You need to get out of there as soon as possible.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Destroy the device with which we communicate.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Take a ship and don't tell anyone where you're going.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>IMMEDIATELY.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> Fighter! You promised not to panic.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> I'm going to take Millicent and I'm going to the hangar to steal a ship.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>But first we need to choose a meeting place and then we will go as far away from this war as possible.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> FIGHTER!!!</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>You promised not to panic, remember?</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> I promised before I knew that your General knows about us, Flower!</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> I said that I THINK she knows.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>It's just a suspicion and maybe I'm wrong.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>And I feel that if I tell General Leia how it all happened, how we fell in love, she will understand and support me. Support us.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> What if, instead of supporting you, she thinks you have committed </em> <em>treason</em> <em> by getting involved like that with someone on the enemy side?</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"><em>With someone like me,</em> he thought, but did not write.</p><p class="western"> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> But you are no longer our enemy, Fighter. You are our spy and our ally now.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> I don't believe it makes any difference to her or any other member of the Resistance, Flower.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower: </b></em> <em> It makes all the difference for me. </em></p>
  <p class="western"><em> And </em> <em>I understand your concern, but General Leia is a good person. She wouldn’t condemn me to death because I fell in love with someone on the enemy side. Especially if that someone is helping us.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Furthermore, the Resistance is quite different from the First Order.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> No matter which side you fight </em> <em>for</em> <em>, </em> <em>treason</em> <em> is </em> <em>treason</em> <em>, Flower.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>And as far as I know, the penalty for this crime is death.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"><em>And your General may not consider it a </em> <em>treason</em> <em>, but your comrades may not think so and think that you are now a threat to the security of the Resistance.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>Haysian Flower:</b></em> <em> Everyone here knows that I am loyal to the Resistance and that I would never do anything to put them at risk.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> What if they lose confidence in you?</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>What if they think you're being tricked by me to get intel on the Resistance?</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I think it would have been safer if we had never met.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He stopped typing when images of Rose being executed flooded his mind. His hands were shaking and he took a breath trying to control the panic that was beginning to suffocate him. If anything happened to Rose because of him, he knew he would never forgive himself.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Did you regret meeting me, Fighter?</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Too late, Hux realized what he had typed last. His heart ached when he imagined her sad expression when she read his words and hurried to explain:</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Not at all, Flower. Please forgive me, I ended up letting fear speak for me.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I meant that if we hadn't met, you wouldn't be at risk of being accused of treason by your comrades.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I love you and have gone to meet you was the best choice I made in my entire life.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I need you to understand that I can't lose you, Flower. It took me so long to find you and the idea of losing you, the idea that something bad could happen to you because of me fills me with absolute dread.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me, because of who I am. </em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>My life would lose any meaning if I lost you.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I understand, Fighter. I also can't imagine my life without you.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>And I promise I will only tell the General about us if it is a matter of life and death. Ok? </em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Okay.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux took a deep breath, feeling relief start to take the place of panic.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> What about the scavenger? Are you sure she is trustworthy?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> You know her name, Fighter.</em></p>
  <p class="western"><em>Yes </em> <em>she</em> <em> is. She is of my utmost confidence.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>She is my friend and we keep each other's secrets. I guarantee you can also trust her.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He didn't know exactly how to feel about that information. He had never had anyone he trusted or who he could tell his secrets to. Of course, he trusted Rose to tell her all his secrets, but their relationship was much deeper and stronger than a friendship. Maybe it was a good thing to have someone to trust, to have someone who understood you, and who knows, one day, he would build that kind of relationship with someone other than Rose.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Feeling his unease, Millie climbed on his bed, meowed and snuggled up next to him. He might not have a <em>human</em> friend, but he did have a <em>feline</em> friend. He smiled and patted her before replying:</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Forgive me for being so paranoid. It is part of who I am.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I know, Fighter, you don't need to apologize.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> If you say she is trustworthy, then I trust her too.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Thank you.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> And yes, I know her name, but I will continue to refer to her as ‘Scavenger’ for security.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> If you insist.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>But I hope that, for your own sake, you do not refer to her like that in front of KR.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He could imagine her worried expression as she wrote that.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> He also doesn't like me to call her that, and I promise that from now on, I'll remember to use her name properly.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Thank you. I don't want him to hurt you because of that.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Her concern made him feel a lump in his throat and he took a deep breath.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I promise I'll be careful and I won't give Ren any more reasons to kill me.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>And forgive me for asking you to hide something so serious from your General. I just want you to be safe.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I know and I am safe.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I wish I could go where you are and make sure you're really safe, but that would have just the opposite effect.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I feel the same way. We saw each other a few hours ago, but I feel like it's been months and all I want to do is see you again, Fighter.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Me too, Flower.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I can't believe that we can only be together when this war is over.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I know, Flower. We will be able to end it and soon we will be together.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> This is what I most desire.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I would love to be able to talk to you longer, but I need to go to the bridge to find out what happened during my absence. </em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Okay. I also have a lot of things to do around here.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I'll get in touch with you as soon as possible, okay?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Ok. I'll be waiting for news.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter: </b> </em> <em>Please be careful.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> Fighter, that's my line.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He could see her roll her eyes and then smile as she read his words.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Please?</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I always am.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I love you so much, Flower.</em></p>
  <p class="western"> </p>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>Haysian Flower:</b> </em> <em> I love you too.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>And please be extremely careful.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux couldn't help but smile.</p><p class="western"> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> I always am.</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He replied as usual and ended their conversation.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Carefully, he returned the device to its hiding place in the ventilation duct next to his bed and, feeling more relieved to hear news of his beloved and after petting Millie for a few more minutes, Hux went to the Steadfast's bridge to catch up on what had happened during his absence.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">After reading some reports, he found that things were calm, almost the same as when he left more than a day ago.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He was distracted, thinking about his next steps when someone took him out of his thoughts about two hours later.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"General Hux, sir?" said a female voice and he turned to the officer who had spoken to him.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Yes, lieutenant?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Sir, Supreme Leader Ren requests your immediate presence in the meeting room."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He nodded "Inform the Supreme Leader that I'm on my way."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Yes sir."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He knew it was best not to keep Ren waiting and he quickly walked off the bridge. Ren did not like meetings and there were rare occasions when he met with a member of the Supreme Council alone. Perhaps the other members had also been summoned and were already on their way and he would have to listen to the others reporting how they had failed to discover the spy's identity and the whereabouts of the Resistance.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren was alone in front of a large viewport in the meeting room, watching the space outside looking distracted and calm and that couldn't be a good sign. Ren was generally tense and emitted an aura of power and anger and seeing him like that made an alarm go off in the General's mind.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux stood by the door when it closed and cleared his throat before saying "Do you want to talk to me, Supreme Leader?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren continued to look out the viewport “Yes, General Hux. Come here." he said with an unusually calm and <em>gentle</em> tone that made Hux tense and even more suspicious.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">That meeting was definitely not a Supreme Council meeting. His survival and self-preservation instinct screamed that there was something <em>very </em>wrong with Ren and he needed to be even more careful than he normally was. An angry Ren was easy to read and one that Hux was used to dealing with, but a calm Ren was dangerous and unpredictable.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Cautiously, as if approaching a feral creature, Hux walked to stand beside the Supreme Leader and an uncomfortable silence filled the room until Ren turned to face him and asked "Do you love her?"</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kylo reveals to Hux that he already knows who the spy is.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Today is Adam Driver's birthday and, to celebrate, I decided to publish this chapter today! I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux felt his body freeze, as if he had been thrown into the vacuum of space.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>For a second he feared that Ren had found out about him and Rose, but then he forced himself to swallow his fear and hurried to say it in the calmest possible tone at that moment “Of course, Supreme Leader. The First Order has been a part of my life since I can remember. I dedicated all of my efforts to make it what it is today.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Not the First Order, General." said Ren, said Ren, his tone still calm, but with a hint of curiosity "</span>
  <span>
    <em>The girl</em>
  </span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux tensed and tried to remain calm "</span>
  <span>What</span>
  <span> girl?" he asked, pretending to have no idea what the other man was talking about.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren took a deep breath, as if trying to keep himself under control, before responding with a hint of impatience, "The Resistance girl."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>It took all of Hux's strength to keep his face impassive and his tone indifferent. “I'm sorry, Supreme Leader, but I have no idea who you're talking about. My life and </span>
  <span>my ti</span>
  <span>...”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren raised his hand and Hux's body froze. He tried to speak, but it was in vain, his mouth didn’t obey his commands and only his eyes moved.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>His thoughts turned to Rose. He had been so concerned that </span>
  <span>
    <em>she</em>
  </span>
  <span> was going to be discovered, accused and executed for treason that he had not considered how much he was at risk and now he was minutes, seconds away from being killed. After all, if Ren knew about Rose, the Resistance girl, about his love for her, then he knew </span>
  <span>
    <em>everything</em>
  </span>
  <span>. He knew about his betrayal, that he was the spy, that he was there to destroy the First Order and end his </span>
  <span>rule</span>
  <span>. But how had Ren found out? Did he send someone to follow him to Batuu? Could it be that a probe droid or someone had witnessed his </span>
  <span>meeting</span>
  <span> with Rose and heard his promise to end the First Order and the war so he could </span>
  <span>be</span>
  <span> with her? Yes, it could only be that. Ren had sent someone to follow him to Battu and now he knew everything that had happened there.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren walked quietly to the table in the middle of the meeting room and made Hux's body levitate beside him as if he weighed nothing. He was totally at the mercy of the other man and, unable to do anything to defend himself, he just had to wait for the moment when Ren would tire of playing with him and execute him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux's eyes followed each step, each movement of Ren trying to guess whether he would kill him with the lightsaber at his waist, torture him to learn more about his involvement with the Resistance, arrest him so he could use him as an example or simply he would use the Force to end his life. Or perhaps he would let him live long enough for his execution to be public and to serve as an example and news of his death could reach the Resistance, could reach Rose.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren sat in his usual place at the head of the table and, to Hux's surprise, placed him on the floor and released him slowly giving him time to balance on his slightly shaking legs. Avoiding Ren's gaze, Hux placed his hands on the table and took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Take a sit, General." ordered him pointing to the chair to his right and Hux obeyed "I'm going to ask you one more time." Ren continued in a tougher, impatient tone, more like his usual tone "Do you love the girl?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux remained stubbornly silent and staring at the table's surface. Provoking Ren's ire was never a good thing to do, but he would never denounce Rose. If Ren wanted to know anything, he would have to get it </span>
  <span>
    <em>out</em>
  </span>
  <span> of his mind like he did with the prisoners he interrogated. After a few seconds, Ren took a deep breath, frustrated and once again Hux waited for his life to end at that moment.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Instead of doing something to hurt or kill him, Ren took something out from under his cloak and placed the object on the table in front of them. Hux's surprised eyes fixed on the black, rectangular object with bite marks in the upper right corner made by a bored cat. He </span>
  <span>
    <em>knew</em>
  </span>
  <span> that object very well. It was the datapad he used to talk to Rose and which was supposed to be where he left it a few hours ago, hidden in his </span>
  <span>quarters</span>
  <span>. The object that directly linked him to the Resistance and Rose and that proved he was a spy and a traitor. The object that had sealed his fate and secured his death sentence.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Now he could see how selfish and careless he had been in not immediately deleting the conversations he had had with her. Not only was all the evidence that he was the spy there, but also the answer to the question Ren had just asked him. The only consolation he had left was that the device could not be used to trace a path to the place where the messages were sent. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Even with proof of his guilt before him, his mind searched for a way out, an excuse to explain the content </span>
  <span>in</span>
  <span> that device. He could tell he was using the girl to find the location of the Resistance...</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"And </span>
  <span>so</span>
  <span>?" said Ren interrupting his thoughts, but Hux remained silent “I know about your meeting with the girl in Batuu. I read all of your messages, including the most recent ones, the ones where you made it very clear that you love her, that you care about her safety and that you both want to end this war so that you can be together.” he stared at Hux who was still stubbornly staring at the datapad before continuing with a provocative tone “I was really intrigued by the fact that someone like </span>
  <span>
    <em>you</em>
  </span>
  <span> has the ability to love someone other than yourself. I never imagined that you, General Hux, would allow yourself to have that kind of weakness.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>A year ago, Ren's tone </span>
  <span>and</span>
  <span> words would not have hit him in the way or with the force that hit him at that moment. He remembered how his father told him he was weak and made him feel unable to give and unworthy of receiving affection or love from anyone else (which in fact happened until he met Rose) and he felt the same anger he used to feel and the desire to kill the man before him with his own hands.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Who did Kylo Ren think </span>
  <span>he</span>
  <span> was to talk to him like that? Precisely he who had let himself be dominated by his sick obsession to the point of appointing an officer to search exclusively for the whereabouts of the girl who had almost killed him several times. He had no idea if Ren was just obsessed with the scavenger or if he was in love with her, but what Hux knew was that he wasn't going to let Ren humiliate him or try to make him feel like someone inferior because of his love</span>
  <span> for </span>
  <span>Rose. He would never again let anyone make him feel bad for having feelings.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux closed his hands in fists under the table, raised his head and met Ren's eyes, letting his feelings become very clear on his face "Yes. I love her. I love Rose in a way that I never thought possible. And that doesn't make me weak.” he said defiantly "Every word I wrote is the purest truth and if..."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Great." said Ren interrupting him and, to Hux's complete surprise, gave him a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>That smile shocked him more than being choked and thrown against a wall or being impaled by </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> lightsaber would shock him. He had never, </span>
  <span>
    <em>ever</em>
  </span>
  <span>, in the more than seven years that he had known that being, had seen anything like a smile on his face. Hux looked at him, his anger turning to fear and suspicion. If he previously suspected, now he was sure that Ren was up to something. Something not good.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Had Ren managed to find the Resistance? Would they be under attack at that moment? What if that conversation was just a distraction so he didn't have a chance to warn Rose? And why had he asked instead of taking the truth out of his mind right away? Why was Ren acting so compassionate to him? Was it just a trick? A way to get him to confess everything? Would he be executed for treason now? Would Ren make him watch Rose's death before executing him?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The memory of his moments with Rose filled his mind and came accompanied by the fear of never seeing her again, of never being able to have a life with her. He forced himself to focus on the man in front of him and ask, “Why didn't you just get the answers from me? You have always prided yourself on getting what you want out of the minds of others.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I am not proud to be able to get what I want out of the minds of others, General." said Ren with mild irritation "You are right, I could have done it, taken whatever I wanted out of your mind, but I didn't want to do it."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Can I know why?" asked Hux cautiously, both longing and fearing the answer.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I wanted to hear you say it." replied Ren "I want to hear you admit that the most important person to you in the entire galaxy belongs to Resistance, </span>
  <span>to</span>
  <span> the enemy side."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>That's what Ren said, but what Hux heard was </span>
  <span>
    <em>'I wanted to make you suffer before I killed you'.</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And what suffering could be greater than that? Losing the woman he loved and who, by some miracle, also loved him? What could be worse than knowing that Rose was being used to hurt him?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And then Hux realized. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>How many times had he suggested killing Rey, killing the woman Ren was obsessed with? Was Ren trying to teach him a lesson? Show him how dangerous it was to fall in love with someone on the enemy side? Show him how it was painful to have the life of someone you care being threatened?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Rose is dead, isn't she?" he asked in a rueful tone, his voice almost a whisper. His heart ached as if he were being crushed by an invisible hand.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>She isn’t</span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"But you found the Resistance and they are under attack right now."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"N</span>
  <span>o</span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux stared at him, tears streaming down his cheeks, aware that he must be looking pathetic, and asked, "You're going to make me watch her death before you kill me, aren't you?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"No. And for your information, I don't know where the Resistance is and your Rose is still safe. At least as safe as anyone can be while fighting a war.” he said and Hux felt relief invade his chest "Wipe your tears General." ordered Ren in a pious tone and Hux wiped his tears quickly, feeling a pang of shame and humiliation for having allowed himself to cry in front of his enemy.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren took the datapad and handed it over to its owner who stared at the object for a few seconds before picking it up and holding it against his chest “You should be more careful with your secrets, General, especially with those that can cost your life and the life of the one you love. You would be dead already if any other member of the Order had managed to get their hands on that device.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Only now, with the datapad safe in his hands, did Hux realize that, in order to get </span>
  <span>it</span>
  <span> out of hiding, Ren had to enter his quarters. And Millicent would never have let anyone, especially Ren, enter his quarters without her attacking him and if she had attacked Ren when he took the datapad then </span>
  <span>she</span>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"What did you do with Millicent?" he asked, afraid to hear the answer.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"What?" said Ren looking confused by the change of subject.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Millicent, my cat."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Oh."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"She would never let you or anyone else into my </span>
  <span>quarters</span>
  <span> without attacking." he said, his mind filling with images of his beloved feline companion dead, shattered by a lightsaber on the floor of his </span>
  <span>quarters</span>
  <span> “What did you do with her? Did you kill her?”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>I didn’t</span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Did you hurt her?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"No."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Please, Ren, tell me what you did to my Millie." Hux pleaded, feeling tears flooding his eyes once again.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I assure you that your little orange monster remains exactly the same as the last time you saw </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span>." said Ren "She didn't attack me any of the times I went into </span>
  <span>your</span>
  <span> quarters."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>She didn’t</span>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>She didn’t</span>
  <span>. The first time she just hissed and today she just yawned and went on with her nap as if I wasn't there.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux let the information be registered by his brain. Rose was safe and well, and Millie had not only allowed Ren to enter </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> quarters multiple times </span>
  <span>as</span>
  <span> had not been bothered by him. His two girls were fine.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He looked at the device in his hands and asked, "How long have you known that I am passing intel to the Resistance?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren looked at him for a few seconds, as if evaluating whether or not it was worth wasting his time answering that question "I </span>
  <span>
    <em>always</em>
  </span>
  <span> knew you were the spy." he said and Hux's eyes widened in surprise "What surprises me is that you thought I wouldn't find out right away, that you would be able to hide something from me."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>What he meant by </span>
  <span>
    <em>he </em>
  </span>
  <span>
    <em>always knew</em>
  </span>
  <span>? He had been extremely careful! He had used only secure channels, he had erased his tracks on the computers of the First Order! He was sure that no one could find out that it was he who was making copies of sensitive information. His datapad was the only thing that could prove that he was the spy and he had hidden it in a safe place. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>
    <em>Always</em>
  </span>
  <span>? </span>
  <span>
    <em>How</em>
  </span>
  <span>?" he asked "I took all the precautions..." as an answer, Ren made the table between them levitate. And that was the only answer he needed "</span>
  <span>
    <em>The Force</em>
  </span>
  <span>." he said and Ren nodded looking like he was enjoying his reaction. How had Hux been so foolish as to disregard the Force knowing everything Snoke and Ren were capable of doing? How had he been so foolish and careless? "So you... so you did </span>
  <span>
    <em>probe</em>
  </span>
  <span> my mind?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren shook his head denying "You would have known if I had probed your mind."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"So, how </span>
  <span>did</span>
  <span> you...?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Funny how something you considered bullshit is responsible for revealing your intentions as clearly to me as if I could hear every single one of your thoughts. I didn't need to </span><span>probe</span><span> your mind because my connection </span><span>with the</span><span> Force warns me when I'm in danger, as if an alarm goes off in my head. That alarm went off when you decided to kill me when you found me unconscious in the Supremacy's throne room and </span><span>it </span><span>saved my life once again.” explained Ren and Hux remembered how Ren woke up just when he touched his blaster, but he never imagined that Ren had known of his intentions at that time "I didn't need to </span><span>probe</span><span> your mind because I can </span><span><em>feel</em></span><span> your emotions and your intentions </span><span><em>through</em></span><span> the Force." Hux frowned, he had no idea how what Ren was saying was possible "I can feel your confusion, your surprise... and now your disbelief. Whether you believe it or not, the Force exists. We are all part of it and some have the ability to interact directly with it." Hux looked at him and waited for him to continue “Think of the Force not as something mystical and out of reach, but as a network of cables that connects everyone and everything that exists and I can have unlimited access to that connection and the data transmitted through that network.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He tried to imagine what Ren was explaining to him and realized how useful it would be to be connected to a network like that. Being able to feel the intentions and emotions of others could be a useful tool, but on the other hand, it would be a very heavy burden to carry.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded. He had learned a valuable lesson and would never again underestimate the Force "If you know what I did from the start, why didn't you use me to get to the Resistance and why am I still alive?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He shrugged "I wanted to see how far you would be able to go to destroy what, as you said, </span>
  <span>you </span>
  <span>helped to create and dedicated your whole life."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I did not do what I did to destroy the Order." Hux said in a harsh tone, "I did what I did to make </span>
  <span>
    <em>you</em>
  </span>
  <span> lose."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Even if it cost you everything? Even if there was nothing left for you to rule in the end and the Resistance were victorious? Do you hate me to the point that you would rather see the First Order defeated than under my command?”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Yes, his hatred and contempt for Ren had been so great that he would rather see the First Order reduced to nothing than in his hands. But now... now he saw that the only thing that really mattered was being free to live a new life. However, after that conversation, he couldn't understand why he was still alive or if he was going to live much longer.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded slowly before answering “I didn't want the Resistance to win, I wanted you to lose everything. The First Order, the power, the girl, your life. </span>
  <span>
    <em>Everything</em>
  </span>
  <span>. But now I just want this war to end so that Rose and I can be free to live what remains of our lives together.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He waited for Ren to laugh at his silly dream, but instead, he said, “If you want to have a life with the woman you love so badly, why did you choose to take so many risks? You could just desert and walk away from it all with her.” </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>That would be the easiest way out, but sooner or later, the war would </span><span>reach</span><span> us. And both she and I would regret deserting.” Hux looked the other man in the eye, feeling an abnormal need to be honest with him, was he using some trick to get him to speak? "We both talked about it and agreed that the only way we can be together is helping to end this war."</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"One of you or even both can die at any time." pointed out Ren.</span>
</p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"We know, but what we feel for each other and the hope that one day we will be together makes the risks worthwhile." replied Hux proudly and then found himself adding, “Even if you kill me right now, the hours I spent in Rose’s arms and the fact that I discovered that I’m capable of love, would make all the risks I took worthwhile.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren looked at him curiously for a few seconds and Hux tried to guess what was going through his mind at that very moment. Was he deciding how to kill him? If he would leave </span>
  <span>him</span>
  <span> to rot in a cell? </span>
  <span>If he w</span>
  <span>ould torture him before killing him?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>You know, Hux, for a long time I hated you too. And I don’t deny that I took pleasure in reducing your power within the First Order.” began Ren "But after a while I realized how much of it made no sense." Hux frowned and he explained, “I realized that Snoke had done a great job of making us rivals and how dangerous our union could have been for him and his plans for the First Order and for the galaxy. If you and I had some respect for each other, some kind of mutual trust, we could do anything if we came together.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He couldn't help but ponder his words. Yes, Snoke had always urged them to fight and hate each other, always encouraged competition and rivalry between them and the fact that Ren had many of the characteristics that Hux believed to make a person weak and pitiable did not facilitate or allow an understanding between the two. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux had always despised Ren for being so similar to his parents, for trying to be a person he was not. It had always been obvious to Hux that, despite his obsession with Darth Vader and the dark side, Kylo Ren would never be like the legendary Sith. Ben Solo could never be the man Vader had been no matter how hard he tried. Ben Solo had a soft, compassionate and gentle heart, and as much as he felt angry at his parents and tried to get rid of his past and his love for them, that was something he could never change. And Hux had hated him for it. He hated the fact that someone so weak and unworthy was favored by Snoke and put in a position of power because of something as foolish and outdated as the Force.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Armitage suspected that, deep down, he envied Ben's life. Despite their mistakes, Leia Organa and Han Solo loved their son and, unlike Hux's father, had been good to him. Of course, he would never admit it to anyone, least of all to himself or the man in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Their relationship had always been the worst possible and Hux had hated Kylo Ren with all his might and had done everything to destroy him. But now that Ren had brought it up, he could see what a potential alliance between them could achieve. However, that chance was lost. Snoke was dead, Ren was the Supreme Leader and Hux was just a spy who was discovered and could be executed at any time.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux gaped at him for what seemed like hours “Why are you telling me these things now? Why are you being understanding with me? Why am I still alive?”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Killing you is not part of my plans, Hux."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Even fearing the answer, he forced himself to ask "What do you </span>
  <span>
    <em>want</em>
  </span>
  <span> from me, Ren?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren seemed satisfied with his question, “What do I </span>
  <span>
    <em>want</em>
  </span>
  <span> from you, General Hux? I want you to be my ally and to help me.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Surprised by his words, Hux studied Ren's face for a few seconds. Did Ren decide to dedicate himself to the First Order just now that Hux was willing to do anything to end it? Could Hux take advantage of this to help with his plan?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>There was only one way to find out.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Your ally?" Ren nodded "You want my help for what </span>
  <span>
    <em>exactly</em>
  </span>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The Supreme Leader's face turned serious and he took a deep breath before saying calmly, "You helped create the First Order and now I want you to help me </span>
  <span>
    <em>destroy it</em>
  </span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kylo Ren reveals his plan to Hux.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>It took Hux's brain a few seconds to process the meaning of the words he had just heard from Ren's mouth, and even then, they weren't making </span>
  <span>
    <em>any sense</em>
  </span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Why would the Supreme Leader of the First Order, the being who commanded the most powerful organization in the entire galaxy, want to destroy it?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Why, in his right mind, would he willingly give up such power?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>It could only be some kind of trap.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Is this some kind of game?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"No."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Are you really serious?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I am."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The two stared at each other for a few seconds, Ren's eyes filled with truth and determination “So did I hear you right? Do you want to… </span>
  <span>
    <em>destroy</em>
  </span>
  <span> the First Order?” asked Hux, with a mixture of disbelief, surprise and an increasing amount of hope.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Yes." Ren smiled “Why are you surprised, General? You yourself made it clear that you wanted to do the same.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I... Yes. And I still do." said Hux, still confused "Do you really want to give up all power?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>I do</span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>But… I can't understand. What about every time you lost control, here in this same room, because of the Resistance attacks? You threatened the life of the entire Supreme Council whenever the Resistance members managed to disrupt or sabotage your plans.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Witnessing one of Ren's tantrums could be quite scary and most of them had already learned not to draw attention to themselves when he lost control. And ever since Hux started to pass intel to the Resistance, the Supreme Leader's attacks of anger had become a constant in everyone's life.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"All of them, including you, want my </span>
  <span>place as Supreme Leader</span>
  <span> and the most efficient way to keep everyone in check is to scare you all into thinking that I wouldn’t hesitate to kill each one of you."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"So, were you pretending to be furious all this time?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Not always. Although the Resistance attacks were never a surprise, having to listen to council members talking about their plans for the First Order and the galaxy reminds me of Snoke.” explained Ren “Remembering my old master and how foolish I was to believe everything he said to me is enough to make me angry and feel how much they all expect just a slip of mine to kill me, it also makes it easier to lose control.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Did you at least try to find the Resistance?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"No. They aren’t a threat to my plans.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"You have deceived us all this time."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"You did the same."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded slowly, still unable to believe what was happening, the conversation he and Ren were having. Was he dreaming? Because what was happening was exactly what he wanted to happen, but that he knew would never happen. Ren was proposing that the two ally themselves to end the First Order and that still seemed too good to be true.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>T</span>
  <span>he Supreme Leader of the First Order wants to destroy the First Order."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren nodded and leaned back in his chair before explaining "Not exactly in the sense of blowing up our fleet or executing our army." Hux frowned and looked at him "You helped to build all this and you know how much it would cost not only in lives but in credits to actually </span>
  <span>
    <em>destroy</em>
  </span>
  <span> the entire First Order."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux leaned back in his chair and asked "</span>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>hat exactly do you have in mind?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I really want to destroy the Order, but I want to do that by changing the </span><span><em>reason</em></span><span> for its existence. You know as well as I do that all we've done so far has been to sacrifice lives in the name of the ideals of people who are no longer alive.” </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded. He remembered very well his father and his comrades' obsession with the Empire and how they want to restore it to its former glory. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>The First Order rose from</span> <span>the ashes of the Empire,” continued Ren “</span><span>a</span><span>s the last wish of a dead megalomaniac emperor who thought he had a right to decide the future of everyone in the galaxy. Snoke took power and continued with Palpatine's plans, he even manipulated me to make me his apprentice because he wanted to have a Vader by his side.” Ren leaned towards Hux “Throughout your life, you helped to realize that vision and I helped when I became Snoke's apprentice. Now it's time to let the past die, to kill it if we have to. I want us to do everything that the Empire and the Republic failed to do. I want to use the First Order to help the galaxy heal and prosper.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux could hardly believe what he was hearing. What Ren was proposing would basically put an end to that </span>
  <span>
    <em>kriffing</em>
  </span>
  <span> war and with minimal body counts on both sides if done correctly.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"And how do you plan to do that?" he asked, feeling hope bloom in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Does that mean you are going to ally with me and help me?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He didn't want to admit it, but Ren's idea of turning the Order into something good for the galaxy was better than his idea. Instead of continuing with that war until the Order was weak enough to be defeated by the Resistance, they would just change their ideals, they would transform it into something different, </span>
  <span>
    <em>better</em>
  </span>
  <span>. It wouldn't be an easy task, but hadn't it been to achieve the peace that he had chosen to return to the Order instead of running away and starting a new life with Rose?</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Yes. I want to be your ally and help bring peace to the galaxy.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"G</span>
  <span>ood</span>
  <span>. I believe that to help me, you will need more access to First Order information than what you currently have. So I think I will promote you.” said Ren instead of telling what he had planned and surprising Hux.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Not so long ago all he wanted most was to have power, but having any kind of power beyond what he currently had could get the attention of the council and that would not be good for whatever Ren had in mind.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"As much as I wish to regain power within the Order, I think that would raise suspicion." said Hux and Ren frowned "It is no secret that we both hate each other and that you have reduced my power to keep me under control."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"It is true."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>It will look suspicious if you start to trust me and give me back the status I had before. I don't know what you have in mind, but I think we should avoid raising any suspicions.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren nodded “Before I talk about what I planned, I want to know what you have in mind. What did you plan to do to end the war?”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux took a deep breath “The plan was to continue with my initial plan. Taking you out of power, killing you if necessary, getting rid of the council members and taking over the Order, but instead of governing, I would weaken </span>
  <span>it</span>
  <span> to the point of having to surrender.” Hux looked at him "And what's yours?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren gave him a slight smile before replying "I think you will be happy to know that </span>
  <span>
    <em>your</em>
  </span>
  <span> death is not necessary in any part of my plan, but I cannot guarantee that your life, like mine, will not be at risk." Hux nodded "First, we have to get some barriers out of our way and only then, in fact, start executing my plan."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"By that you mean that we need to get rid of all those who do not agree with the new directions that you want to give the Order."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren nodded “Exactly. The emperor may be dead, but there are still many who are loyal to him, the old empire and the way everything was done at that time. And we will need to get them out of the way before we can think of doing anything else."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Are we going to get rid of them all at once or one by one?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"They don't have to die."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux chuckled. That was not Kylo Ren, but Ben Solo speaking.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"They don’t need to die? After so many years of serving Snoke, are you afraid to get your hands dirty? They will always be a threat to us if we leave them alive, Ren. If the New Republic had hunted down and destroyed everything and everyone left of the Empire, the First Order would not have existed.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren looked at his hands, as if he could actually see the blood of those he had killed on them, and took a deep breath. “I know. I just want to avoid unnecessary deaths in this transition.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>For a second, Hux wanted to laugh, but then Rose's words about Ren having compassion for his enemy flooded his mind. Hux also remembered how Ren reacted when he suggested to Snoke that they use the Starkiller base to destroy the hosnian system. At the time he had been against it and Hux had considered him a sentimental fool. He shouldn't be surprised that he shows compassion now, even if it could cost them everything. Ren was, after all, just like his parents and that was why they were having that conversation. If Ren were like Vader, the galaxy would be at his feet and the Resistance would only be part of the galaxy's history.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded “I understand, but I doubt that the Supreme Council will agree with whatever you plan to do. And they will not hesitate to try to kill you to stop you.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I know and we will deal with them too."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>If we're really going to make such profound changes to the Order, we can't just worry about those loyal to the Empire or the Supreme Council and the people who are loyal to them, we need to think about what to do with everyone who trade ships and armaments with us.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren shrugged "We can just stop buying from them." he suggested and Hux was sure that Ren underestimated what those people were able to do to guarantee their profits.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"We can, but not without provoking a reaction from them." began Hux “War is very profitable for them. If they don’t sell to us and the Resistance also stops buying, they will find someone to buy or perhaps even finance the start of another war to continue profiting. Someone who could disrupt any peace plan for the galaxy.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"What do you suggest?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"How far are you willing to go to make your plan work, </span>
  <span>
    <em>exactly</em>
  </span>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"How far are </span>
  <span>
    <em>you</em>
  </span>
  <span> willing to go, General?" countered Ren.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>As far as necessary, Supreme Leader. If we are going to remake the foundations of the First Order, we cannot be afraid to get our hands dirty with the blood of those who try to stop us.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"You are thinking of killing them."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"If necessary, yes." said Hux “I understand that you feel compassion for our enemies, but it can have a disastrous side effect. So I suggest that we take ownership of their factories, that we arrest their owners and take away from them the only thing they care about.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren smiled as he understood his thought "Their credits."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded “Their power comes from the fortune they made with the war. If they do not have access to it, they will not be able to retaliate or, at least, the lack of credits will make retaliation difficult.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"And we can use </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> credits to rebuild the galaxy." Hux nodded "This is a great idea, General, but we have to be exceptionally careful with its execution."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Maybe we can get help from the other side." started Hux “The list of our suppliers is in the </span>
  <span>intel</span>
  <span> that I gave to my contact at our recent meeting. I'm sure their Leader will be happy to help us.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I prefer to avoid involving the other side in our plans." said Ren “We need to deal with this in the most confidential way possible. For now you are the only one who should know everything.” Hux settled in the chair and Ren laughed "But you don't agree with that."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>"</span><span>I d</span><span>on’t. At least not entirely.” he said and Ren waved him on to continue “Keeping our plans and actions confidential at the start is the right thing to do. However, after dealing with ours, hmmm... </span><span><em>domestic affairs</em></span><span>, I believe it would be safer if the two sides agreed to a ceasefire and, perhaps, at some point, even worked together. Our </span><span>work</span><span> will be easier if we don't have to worry about Resistance attacks </span><span>or with them trying to stop us</span> <span>because they think we intend to do even more harm to the galaxy.” Ren remained silent and Hux continued “If we can convince the Resistance that our intentions are good and they agree to at least not interfere, it can testify in our favor and help to convince the galaxy that we are really wanting to do things differently.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I like how you think, General." said Kylo, not looking entirely convinced.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>
    <em>But?</em>
  </span>
  <span>" Hux encouraged him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He took a deep breath before adding, "But, I don't think my mom... I don't think General Organa is going to believe us without us doing anything to prove that we're actually changing things for the better here."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded slowly "You told me earlier that you could feel my emotions and my intentions through the Force."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I said."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"She's your </span>
  <span>mother.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>She is</span><span>.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>And she is</span><span> Luke Skywalker's sister and Vader's daughter.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>Yes, </span>
  <span>she is</span>
  <span>." Ren said with a frown.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Can she also... </span>
  <span>um</span>
  <span>... connect with the Force?" Ren nodded slowly, still not understanding what Hux meant “So, wouldn't the same happen to her? I mean, wouldn't she be able to sense our true intentions if we met?”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>After a few seconds of tense silence, he replied "Yes, </span>
  <span>she would</span>
  <span>." he closed his eyes and took a deep breath "She would know immediately if we are telling the truth or not." he opened his eyes and looked at him and there was pain and regret in his eyes "I just don't know if she will accept meeting... </span>
  <span>
    <em>with me</em>
  </span>
  <span>... after all I..." he stopped and looked at his hands.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Oh." said Hux as he remembered what Ren had done so that his own mother would not agree to meet with him "Your father."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>He nodded slowly, “So I think it's best to keep everything private for as long as we can. </span>
  <span>W</span>
  <span>hen we have made some real change, everyone can find out.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux stared at him for a few seconds, trying to put himself in Ren's shoes. What would it be like to have to face his mother after killing his own father? How painful would it be for both of them to have to put personal matters aside to discuss what was best for the entire galaxy? Perhaps it was more difficult and painful than he was able to imagine, but he knew that having the Resistance if not helping them, at least not disturbing them, was what they would need to avoid further conflict. And now it was up to him to help Ren see that.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"You know, Ren, if there's one thing I learned about General Organa during this war, it's that </span>
  <span>she</span>
  <span> will do what </span>
  <span>she</span>
  <span> can to save the galaxy, including risking </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> own life." Ren looked at him with attention and curiosity “You read the messages and know that, even though she knew that I am the spy and what my motives, at least my old motives, to help the Resistance were, she decided to continue to trust me. Even though she knew that I might end up turning against them, she decided to accept the risks because that is the best for the cause at the moment.” Ren nodded “That's why I know that if you ask her to talk and explain what you intend to do, she will not only agree to a ceasefire, she will help us in whatever way she can and pave the way for the rest of the galaxy to trust </span>
  <span>us</span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren looked at his hands again and a comfortable silence filled the room. Hux watched him as he pondered his words and made a decision on the matter.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I know you're right, Hux. General Organa will always choose to do what is best for the galaxy, even if </span><span>she</span><span> has to make great personal sacrifices for that.” he said sadly and then resumed his posture as Supreme Leader “We are going to include the Resistance in our plans. Even if they don't agree with the ceasefire, at least they will know that our goals have changed.” Hux nodded with a satisfied smile "So, what do you think we should do first?"</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>I think we must do what you suggested first. We should start by doing an internal cleaning.” said Hux and, with enthusiasm, continued to talk about how and where they needed to act.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren told him about his plan, what he wanted to do for the galaxy and listened carefully to Hux's suggestions. Then Hux told him what kind of information he had been leaking to the Resistance and everything he had given Rose on their last meeting. The two talked and discussed what would be the best way to get rid of those loyal to the empire and what to do with the other members of the Supreme Council. Hours had passed when the two were finally satisfied with </span>
  <span>their plan</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Before we put our plan into practice, I need to know. Are you doing everything because of the girl? </span><span>The </span><span>Scavenger?”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Her name is Rey." Ren corrected him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Are you doing all this because of Rey?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>She is part of the reason. Like you, I also want to be free to be with the woman I love and I know she will never give up fighting as long as it takes.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>His response and honesty surprised Hux and he concluded that he and Rey were on far more friendly terms than he had imagined. If Ren was willing to do all of this for her, it should mean that she also had feelings for Ren, contrary to what Hux had thought all along.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Just </span>
  <span>like</span>
  <span> Rose." Ren nodded "And the other part?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"My family."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux frowned "I always thought you hated your family, with the exception of Lord Vader, of course."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren took a deep breath “I don't hate my family. I never hated them, actually. I only had unfinished business with my uncle and I was led to believe that my parents were afraid of me and didn’t love me. But I always loved them and always wished I could see them again.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Ren, you killed your father and blew up the ship where your mother was."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>It was one of my </span><span>wingmen</span><span> that blew up the Raddus bridge and not me. And you also killed your father.” countered Ren.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux chuckled "Believe me, the bastard deserved it."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"My parents didn't deserve what I did." he said in a sad and remorseful tone.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Do you regret it?" asked Hux before he managed to contain himself.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Yes, don’t you?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Honestly? If I could, I would bring him back to life to kill him again, only this time with my own hands and more slowly. I would sit and watch him die and enjoy every second.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"If I had another chance, I would do everything differently."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Taking advantage of the moment of sincerity between the two, Hux asked "Did you kill Snoke?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Yes." said Ren simply and without hesitation.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Did you do it for Rey or the power?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>For her and for me. When Snoke ordered me to kill her, I knew I couldn't live in a galaxy without her, so I killed him. And then, when we finished killing his praetorian guard, I </span><span>realized that we could both command the First Order and rule the galaxy together, but when I offered it to her, she refused.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux thought about how, months ago, he would not hesitate to expose Ren and Rey's relationship to the entire galaxy and order his summary execution for Snoke's murder. But now he would keep Ren's secret as his own, because he understood, he knew what it was like to love someone so much </span>
  <span>to be</span>
  <span> able to do anything to protect her. If it were him and Rose in their place, he had no doubt that he would have done the same and would even sacrifice his life if it meant that hers would be spared.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren took a deep breath and continued “I thought at that moment I had nothing more to offer her but power, but I was wrong. She would never accept to rule beside Kylo Ren because the only person she wants beside her is Ben Solo. It took me a while to understand how she could love someone that no one seemed capable of loving and realized that I could no longer continue to deny who I really am. All I want most is to be free to be Ben Solo again and be able to stay with her, but I couldn't just abandon the First Order knowing what everyone here is capable of doing. I need to do everything in my power so that the galaxy is at peace before I allow myself to be happy.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"You want to redeem yourself to feel worthy of being with her."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Yes. She knows everything I did and loves me anyway, but I need to do something good to balance things out, do you understand what I mean?”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I understand. I feel the same way.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I think we just took the first step on that long road to redemption." </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded "I think I owe you a </span>
  <span>
    <em>'thank you'</em>
  </span>
  <span>." said Hux and the other man frowned. Hux laughed softly “I always thought you were pathetic because of your compassion and that, as Supreme Leader Snoke said, you were too much like your parents. But now I'm grateful for that, that you're exactly who you are. If it weren't for your compassion for Rey, Rose wouldn't have had compassion for me or believed that I could be someone better if I had a chance, and she would have killed me the moment she saw me in Batuu.” Hux gave him a genuine smile and repeated, "Thank you, </span>
  <span>
    <em>Ben</em>
  </span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>You can t</span>
  <span>hank me helping me to do things right." said Ren with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>"I promise I will." said Hux smiling too "We are going to end this war. Together." he said and before getting up to leave, he added </span>“<span>Nothing and no one will stop us from living the rest of our lives with the women we love.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hux and Ren meet with the Supreme Council.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p class="western">After leaving the conference room, Hux's feet took him straight to his private quarters.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">His shift was over, and even if it wasn't, he needed time alone to process the conversation he had just had with the Supreme Leader. The conversation started with Hux fearing for his life, then fearing for Rose's life and ended with Ren and him becoming allies and planning how to change the directions of the First Order to be free to live with the women they love. In less than a day he had gone from <em>‘It's me against the First Order’</em> to <em>‘</em><em>It’s</em><em> Ren and me against the First Order’</em>.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">As much as it cost him to admit, one thing that had become quite clear during their conversation was that Ren was right about the two of them being able to accomplish great things if they unite. They had talked on an equal footing and had been frank with each other, something that under Snoke's influence they would never have succeeded in, and in the end they had become allies, united to fight for a common cause, <em>love</em>.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The plan that Ren had presented to him was much better than his and went far beyond what Hux had hoped the Republic would ever be able to do on its own, and with the changes suggested by him, Hux was very confident not only of their success but also that the galaxy would be a better place when they finished their work.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>Upon entering his private quarters, he saw that Millicent was in the middle of a nap on his desk, just as Ren had said he had seen her when he entered his quarters. She woke up when she heard </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> footsteps, yawned and stretched for a long time before sitting on her hind legs and facing him. He put the datapad on the desk, took her in his arms and hugged her. As always, she purred, pleased to receive attention, and licked his cheek making him smile.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>He sat on the chair and put the cat on his legs. “You won't believe me when I tell you about the most unexpected and absurd thing that just happened to me, Millie. Not even when I found out who </span>
  <span>the </span>
  <span>Hosyan Flower was was I so surprised.” </span>
  <span>he said caressing between her ears “</span>
  <span>Can</span>
  <span> you believe that Ren always knew about my little secret and that I not only survived a conversation with him but the two of us became allies? That's right, Millie, </span>
  <span>
    <em>allies</em>
  </span>
  <span>. He wants the same thing I want </span>
  <span>and we agreed to end this war together. But you already knew his intentions, didn't you? That's why you let him in here, wasn't it?” </span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>Hux had heard about how animals had a kind of sixth sense that told them who they could trust and, since he didn't have a sixth sense, he counted on his paranoia. The fact that his cat had despised Ren in the past had always seemed to </span>
  <span>him</span>
  <span> that </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> own judgment was correct, but now Millie was giving clear signs that she had changed her mind </span>
  <span>about Ren</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He took her in his arms and looked at her "You trust him, don't you?" she closed her eyes slowly and began to purr, looking pleased that he finally noticed something she had noticed months ago. “Well then, my dear. It's good that we made that clear.” he continued, pleased with his feline friend's response, “Knowing that you trust him is more than enough reason for me to trust him too.” she licked his hand and went back to the desk where she lay down and closed her eyes, probably to continue her nap.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>After hiding the datapad in a different hiding place (if Ren had found it easily, who could guarantee that someone else would not find it?), He followed Millie's example and prepared to sleep. Faster than he expected, Hux fell asleep and dreamed of Rose holding a baby with black hair and green eyes while he played with a little red-haired girl with h</span>
  <span>er</span>
  <span> mother's eyes and smile. When he woke up the memory of the dream gradually faded, but he felt full of courage and hope, ready to face whatever was coming ahead.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <strong>---</strong>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The tension in the meeting room was almost palpable when Hux entered.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>Soon after their conversation, Ren had summoned </span>
  <span>the </span>
  <span>members of the Supreme Council to a meeting and, as in all meetings, each of them should be fearful of becoming the target of Ren's wrath or even being removed from the </span>
  <span>council</span>
  <span> or from the command of their destroyers.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>As the last </span>
  <span>council</span>
  <span> member to arrive, Hux was met with looks full of disdain and superiority, making it very clear that none of them approved his stay on the </span>
  <span>council</span>
  <span>, which, everyone knew, was due only to Ren not trusting him and wanting to keep </span>
  <span>him</span>
  <span> under control and surveillance. Everyone there wanted to make him feel humiliated for having been demoted from </span>
  <span>being </span>
  <span>the face of the First Order and Snoke's trusted man to Kylo Ren's punching bag. From the moment he lost his rank and status, he had been treated with disdain and indifference by most of the officers of the Order and that was one of the reasons that had led him to become a spy and he could not deny that, deep down, he wanted to take revenge on them as much as he had wanted to take revenge on Ren.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>For the first time, instead of feeling humiliated, the General was feeling happy to be there. Well, maybe </span>
  <span>
    <em>happy</em>
  </span>
  <span> was not the most appropriate word, but he was certainly satisfied with the way things were going and looking forward to Ren's arrival so that they could carry out </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> plan.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>Keeping his head up and his General posture, he ignored the looks of the people around him, politely greeted them as he took his place at the table and began to work quietly on his datapad, pretending he was alone in the room. His arrival caused a change in the attitudes of some officers and, in low tones, some members continued their conversations while others began to speak in an unnecessarily loud tone about how they felt honored by the Supreme Leader's trust in them or how they were about to discover the spy's identity and capture </span>
  <span>them</span>
  <span> and how honored they would be to hand </span>
  <span>the traitor</span>
  <span> over to Ren to pay for </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> betrayal and disloyalty to the First Order.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>The room was filled with silence when the door opened and the Supreme Leader entered, followed closely by two of his knights. Since assuming the post of Supreme Leader, Ren had appointed his knights to be his security guards, and he was rarely seen without at least one of them. Everyone immediately stood up and waited until he took his place at the </span>
  <span>head of the </span>
  <span>table, while Vicrul stood next to Ren and Ushar stood by the door, and only then they sit.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>"I have a very important announcement to make." </span>
  <span>Ren</span>
  <span> said and, with his usual serious and intense expression, </span>
  <span>he</span>
  <span> looked quickly at the faces of each of them before continuing “We won the war. The galaxy is ours.”</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Even Hux who knew about Ren's current plans was surprised by his words. Everyone there knew that the galaxy wouldn't be completely theirs until they managed to get rid of the Resistance once and for all. And everyone there also knew very well that it was thanks to Ren's need to confront his uncle that the First Order had not once and for all obliterated what remained of the Resistance at Crait.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"But what about the Resistance, Supreme Leader?" asked Pryde, giving voice to what everyone was probably thinking.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren looked at him and there was a shadow of anger in his eyes "Do any of you think the Resistance has any chance of defeating us?" he asked.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"No, Supreme Leader." replied Pryde and the majority nodded vigorously in agreement "I don’t think they represent any kind of threat to us or our complete dominance of the galaxy." he continued in a proud tone "Our strategy is superior and we have the numbers and resources in our favor."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"And we have already made it clear what happens to those who decide to help them." added General Domaric Quinn referring to the territories that had been punished for housing and helping members of the Resistance in recent months.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"But, Supreme Leader, if we can't identify the spy, that rebel scum can continue to make it difficult..." began Hux, but was interrupted by Ren.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“<span>There is nothing that this spy can give the Resistance to stop my plans, General Hux. </span><span><em>Nothing</em></span><span>.” he said, his tone making it very clear that he would not admit any further discussion on that subject.</span></p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>I apologise</span>
  <span>, Supreme Leader." </span>
  <span>said</span>
  <span> Hux.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>Ren leaned back in his chair before continuing “As I was saying, the war is over and the galaxy is ours. The time has come for the First Order to begin, in fact, bringing order and hope to the chaos left by the Republic.” around, everyone nodded, looking excited by Ren's words and their implications “But before we do that, I want to know how much this war has cost us, how many ships, how many troopers, how many weapons we have lost and how many we have left. I want to know how our finances are, where our credits are and how many are our investments before taking the next step.” he then looked directly at Hux and continued, “And who better to compile all this information than you, General Hux?”</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Supreme Leader, I will be honored to coordinate the team that..."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"That is not what I said." Ren interrupted him.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux did his best to look confused "I... I don't think I understand, Supreme Leader, I..."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"I am not honoring you with the command of a team, General." he said in a harsh tone "I am ordering you, the only member of this council with nothing to command, to do something useful with your excessive free time and gather all the information I just said I need. Have I been clear enough now?”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Everyone stared at Hux while he stared at Ren and he didn't need to be force sensitive to feel everyone's satisfaction at what Ren was doing to him. That was just why that meeting was taking place. Ren would give Hux the access he needed to all First Order data while making everyone there think he was just demeaning and humiliating him further.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>Although it was an act, the poorly disguised smiles of the </span>
  <span>council</span>
  <span> members made Hux feel the anger boiling in his veins and he let it show in his voice along with his feigned outrage "This is not the kind of work that someone at my </span>
  <span>rank</span>
  <span>..." he started and then felt his throat tighten when Ren raised his hand, his brown eyes sparkling with fury.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>The grip was just enough for Hux to feel a pressure in his throat, but not to hurt or prevent him from breathing, but he started to pretend exaggeratedly that he couldn't breathe. All the times he had been choked by Snoke and Ren had prepared him to stage that moment perfectly.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"><span>Ren stared at him for a few seconds before saying in a threatening tone, "You clearly overestimate your worth and your skills and your job is what </span><span><em>I say</em></span> <span>it is</span><span> and you will do exactly what I ordered you to do. Understood?” Hux grunted, pretending he didn't have enough air to speak "</span><span><em>What?</em></span><span> I don’t understand. Be clearer, General.” he said and Hux nodded.</span></p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">When Ren released him, Hux exaggerated his reaction, gasping desperately, making it look like it was much worse than it looked and almost falling out of his chair.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren settled himself in his chair and took a deep breath before continuing the meeting as if nothing had happened "All of you will give General Hux access to all the data from each of your ships."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Yes, Supreme Leader." they said around the table. Some seemed against the idea, but after what happened, they didn’t seem willing to provoke Ren's anger again.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Good." he said and looked at Hux again, his gaze filled with disgust “And I expect detailed daily reports. I have no time to waste.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux glared at him "As you wish, Supreme Leader."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Still looking at Hux with disgust, Ren continued, “To make your job easier, General, I made a list of the information I need. You have forty-eight hours to deliver the first report.” Hux opened his mouth pretending to be about to protest and Ren added, "Is this going to be a problem, General Hux?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Pretending to remember what had just happened, he laid a hand on his throat and swallowed "Not at all, Supreme Leader."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Good. You know what happens to those who don't follow my orders.” he said in a threatening tone and turned his attention to the others "If General Hux's incompetence does not hinder the progress of my plans, the galaxy will soon meet its new ruler and what my plans are for it." he said and took a deep breath “All of you have received your orders and it is time to obey them. Dismissed.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"><span>Everyone nodded</span> and <span>started to get up, eager to leave Ren's presence "Except you, General Hux."</span></p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>The officers who were closest to </span>
  <span>Hux</span>
  <span> gave him disdainful looks and superior smiles before rushing out the door.</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The room was filled with silence and Hux kept his eyes stubbornly fixed on the table in front of him. As far as he knew, only Ren and he knew of the plan and, as Vicrul and Ushar remained in their posts, he thought it best to continue with the staging.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren took a storage device out of his pocket and levitated it to Hux.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <span>"The list of everything I want to know is there." he informed him with an impatient tone and Hux looked at him "You are going to use one of the terminals on the bridge where Pryde is going to give you access to the data." Hux nodded “I want to receive the reports in the exact order specified and you will deliver them to me personally and will be at my disposal to answer any questions I have. And, if I am not satisfied with your work or your answers, you will not be satisfied with what I will do with you either. Is that clear?”</span>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux swallowed and nodded "Absolutely clear, Supreme Leader."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Good. That's all for now. Dismissed."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux nodded and left the room as calmly as he could.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The first step had been taken and now there was no turning back.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">They would either triumph or die in the attempt.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rose returns to the Resistance base.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="western">Rose's ship landed without attracting attention in one of the several clearings opened in the forest at Ajan Kloss.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Her travel there had passed faster than her travel to Batuu, because instead of being full of anxiety, she was now full of happiness and, above all, <em>hope</em>.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She had definitely not left the base hoping to come face to face with a First Order General, let alone Armitage Hux, but that was what had happened and she couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened and what they had said and done with each other and everything she would like to do with him when they met again. She had no idea how much time would pass before the two could see each other in person again, after all, there was a war separating the two, but she didn’t allow that to diminish her happiness.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose took a deep breath when she disembarked from her ship and smiled when she saw that the Resistance base was busy as usual, with people busy with their tasks and pilots maintaining their fighters. Her first impulse was to look for Rey and her feet took her to the Falcon where she knew she would be more likely to find her at that time of day. Upon entering the old freighter, she found her friend busy with a huge pile of what Rose could only classify as rubbish.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"What are you doing?" she asked.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Surprised, Rey looked at her and smiled “Hey! You came back! Well, I'm trying to make the Falcon look more like a freighter than a dump.” she replied, still focused on separating what was useful from what wasn’t "Han certainly was an accumulator." she said, raising what appeared to be a broken datapad.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She examined the item for a few seconds, probably using her experience as a scavenger to assess if there was anything that could be saved and then tossed it into a smaller pile that Rose suspected was the pile of discarded items.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Shouldn't you be training or trying to decipher the Jedi texts?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I should, but I couldn't stop thinking about how this place needs cleaning and, here I am." she explained and got to her feet before asking, "So, how was your meeting with the spy?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose couldn't help but smile. "You won't believe me when I reveal <em>who</em> he is."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey frowned "This means that, as we suspect, he isn’t just a pilot, but someone who occupies a high position in the chain of command."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The two had already had that conversation, about how the intel passed on to the Resistance and even the personal information he gave Rose, implied that he wasn’t a simple pilot, that he should be or at least have access to someone who had access to that type of information.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Exactly. He's not just a pilot.” said Rose and looked around before asking "Are we alone here?" Rey nodded and Rose lowered her voice before adding "Our spy is General Hux."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey's mouth opened, surprised "<em>The</em> General Hux is our spy?" she asked in a whisper and Rose nodded. She watched her friend's face as she processed the information and a few seconds later Rey gasped "That means you fell in love with..." Rose nodded. Rey knew about the destruction of her home world by the First Order and how she and Finn had almost been executed by order of Hux when they infiltrated the Supremacy "Is he still alive?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes, he is."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And are you okay?" asked Rey looking genuinely concerned. "I mean, it must not have been easy to discover that the spy you fell in love with and General Hux are the same person."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">If there was anyone in that galaxy who understood how confusing it was to discover being in love with the enemy, it was Rey of Jakku.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“To be honest, it wasn’t easy to accept who he was, but I assure you that I am more than fine. I feel great, actually.” she assured her with a smile and Rey frowned "It was really a shock to find out that my TIE Fighter and General Hux are the same person," explained Rose “But after the shock passed, I realized that it didn't change how I felt about him and him...” she took a deep breath and smiled as she remembered the moment when he recognized her and declared his love for her “he made it very clear that it was also a surprise to know that I was the Haysian Flower and that he also fell in love with me.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey looked at her tenderly and Rose smiled before adding "There is still light in him, Rey and now I understand how you fell in love with..." Rose looked around and whispered "<em>you know who</em> after seeing who he was behind the mask." the other girl nodded, her cheeks turning slightly red "Now that I've seen the man behind the General, I'm willing to wait as long as I need for him and I'm happy to be able to share this with you."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey smiled "So tell me everything!" she asked excitedly.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The two sat at the dejarik table and Rose told Rey practically everything that had happened between her and Hux in Batuu, leaving out only a few more intimate details.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She noticed that Rey's cheeks were even redder when she said that the two had given themselves to each other and wondered if the Jedi apprentice imagined something like this happening if she and Kylo Ren met in person again. Rose had seen holos of the Supreme Leader of the First Order and seen him up close when she caught them kissing through the Force bond, and, besides being <em>gigantic</em>, he was a very attractive and handsome man with eyes that could make any woman want to drown in them.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey's face was filled with concern when Rose told her that Hux had returned to the First Order with the sole purpose of ending that war so that the two could, at last, live the rest of their lives together.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"He's being very brave, Rose." she said "and I hope he is aware of the risks he is taking."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"He assured me that he is aware of the risks." Rose assured her "But what worries me is that he might end up making a mistake and…" she felt a lump in her throat and stared at her friend "Do you think Kylo will kill him if he finds out..." she started to ask, but fell silent when she imagined Hux dead at Kylo's feet, the red light of his lightsaber illuminating his green lifeless eyes...</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“No, Rose. It's not Ben that worries me.” Rey hurried to say “We avoid talking about the war when the Force connects us, but from the glimpses that I sometimes have of his thoughts, I know that he isn’t concerned with the existence of a spy and that there are others who wouldn’t hesitate to kill the spy if they discover his identity or Ben himself if he lets his guard down.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux had seemed so sure that Kylo was too distracted to notice what he was doing, but Rey not only knew the Supreme Leader much better than Hux, she had a mental bond with him. Maybe she was right and Kylo was even more concerned with staying alive and in charge rather than discovering the spy's identity.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose nodded "I tried to convince him not to go back there and desert, but he didn't give in to my pleas." she said avoiding looking Rey in the eye "I told him we could go away and start a new life together, but he refused and said that the Resistance members would never accept or forgive him just because he has leaked some intel to us."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I wish he was wrong, Rose, but he isn't." said Rey sadly and Rose wondered if she and Kylo had ever had a conversation like that, where one tried to convince the other to run away without success “I can feel the fear and hatred of the people around us. Many here have lost everything because of the First Order and, if they had a chance to take revenge, to cause the same pain they suffered, they would do it without hesitation.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose looked at her “Except that death isn’t a punishment, but a liberation. How can anyone try to redeem themselves for their mistakes if they are dead? How to try to be a better person if nobody gives them a chance?” she said sadly "If they really want to punish someone for their mistakes, they should allow them to live to pay penance and not take their life." she took a deep breath, feeling dejected “Just fighting what we hate isn’t going to win us this war. We have to start saving what we love.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey hugged her and Rose hugged her back and allowed herself to relax "Did you know that meeting you was one of the best things that happened in my life?" asked Rey when she released her and Rose smiled.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I always thought Finn was your favorite." she joked.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">After losing her sister, Rose was very grateful to have found in Rey someone with whom she could have a relationship similar to the one she and Paige had.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Finn was the first person who gave a damn about me and everything we went through together brought us together as siblings, but I cannot trust him in the same way that I can trust you. He wouldn't understand how I feel about Ben and I'm not sure he would even try to understand.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"He would be sad if he heard you talking like that."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey shrugged "He's too distracted to even remember that I exist." Rose looked at her confused and she continued with a smile "I think he and Poe finally got tired of exchanging passionate looks and decided to do something about their obvious mutual attraction."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose gaped at her "Really?" Rey nodded “What happened? Tell me everything you know!"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey smiled before starting “After you went to Batuu, I went to meditate in the forest and when I was going back to the base I saw them at the edge of the forest and I hid before they saw me. They were holding hands and looking into each other's eyes and, even though I couldn't hear, I could feel the intensity of their feelings.” Her cheeks were slightly flushed and Rose could have an idea of what her friend had felt between those two. You didn't have to be a force sensitive to feel the tension between them. "So Finn stroked Poe's cheek for a few seconds and then kissed him."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose couldn't contain the happy squeals that left her "And then?" she asked, excited and curious to find out more and happy that one of them had finally taken the initiative.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey grimaced “It was a quick kiss, but I think it would have lasted longer if the two hadn't been interrupted by Treepio. Then the two practically ran in opposite directions.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Too bad!" said Rose disappointed with the direction that things took "But at least they took that first step."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey nodded and commented with a note of sadness in her voice "At least they are on the same side of the war."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The two exchanged sad smiles and Rose remembered that she needed to give Leia the information Hux had given her.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I need to speak to the General." she took the device out of her pocket and showed it to her friend “Our spy gave me this and, from what he said, this will be of great help to our cause.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I'll go with you. I've spent a lot of time trying to organize this mess and I need a break.” said Rey and the two went out towards the control room.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia looked even more worried than the last time Rose saw her and she hoped the information she had in hand would help to dispel the worry from the General's face. Upon seeing the two, Leia dismissed Kydel and greeted them with a smile. "Any news from our spy, Commander Tico?" she asked.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose looked at Leia's face "Yes, General." she replied and showed the device to Leia “He gave me this.” Leia looked curiously at the device in her hand before picking it up and Rose continued, "There is all the information he has been able to gather in the past few weeks and he believes it will be very useful for us."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And how, exactly, did this device get to you?" asked Leia.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose and Rey exchanged a look and Rey gave her a nod encouraging her to tell everything "I went to see our spy, General."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Without my permission."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Without your permission."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose waited for Leia to scold her, but what she said was "So that's why I haven't seen you at the base lately."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She nodded "I know..." she started, but Leia interrupted her.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Where did the two of you meet?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“In the Black Spire Ruins in Batuu.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Any chance that you were tracked when you came back here?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Even though she knew that Hux wouldn't do that kind of thing, Rose had been careful “No. I took all possible precautions.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Who suggested the meeting?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Both of us.” she said and then found herself explaining, “In the last few months we have developed a kind of <em>friendship</em>, General. And when he said he would like to give me a face and a voice, I said I would meet him if he told me where and when. I know it was foolish of me to meet him without your permission, but I guarantee that I didn’t say and nor did I do anything that could compromise the security of the Resistance.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia examined her for a few seconds "You are a smart girl, Rose and I'm sure you were aware of the risks and that everything could be a trap."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes, General, I was aware of the risks and, I told Rey where I was going and she would come over and look for me if she didn't hear from me in twenty-four hours." Leia looked at Rey and the girl nodded "I'm sorry I didn't say anything about it and didn't even ask for your permission."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia nodded and continued to ask questions “Did you get to see his face? Do you know who he is?”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes, General." she said, staring at the floor and feeling her face heat up. She had seen much more than the spy's face.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Did he ask you to keep his identity confidential?" pressed Leia when Rose fell silent.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose thought for a few seconds before looking into Leia's eyes and saying "Not exactly, General." Leia looked at her expectantly and Rose closed the distance between them and whispered in her ear "Our spy is General Hux."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia looked at her in surprise and after a few seconds asked "Are you sure?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Absolutely. We both came... "Rose cleared her throat, feeling the blush spread across her face." We both came face to face."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia's eyebrows went up when she heard Rose's words "I never imagined that he, the most fervent member of the First Order, would turn against it."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Actually, he turned against your... against Kylo Ren." explained Rose, almost referring to him as the General's son. Although it was true, she didn't want to remind her of that. If it was already difficult to fight in a war, fighting your own son should be even worse "He decided to help us so that he could undermine the rule of the new Supreme Leader and cause him to fall and then have the free path to take command of the First Order."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She knew his motives had changed completely, but she didn't think this was the best time to tell or even that Leia would believe that the fact that they had fallen in love had led him to turn against the First Order.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia nodded slowly, "That makes sense." she said and after a few seconds added, "And something tells me that finding us will be his first step if he gets what he wants." she looked at the device in her hand and smiled "But in the meantime, let's see what he got for us this time and what we can do with this intel."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The General inserted the device into one of the computers in the room and, seconds later, a warning appeared that the information was protected by a password “The file is protected. Do you know what the password is?”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose frowned “How strange. He didn't tell me that we would need a password…” she commented looking at the warning on the screen “but if he didn't it's because he knew I would guess what the password is.” she said in a low voice, as if talking to herself, then typed her code name and the information appeared on the screen, making her smile.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia gave her a knowing look, but said nothing. Her eyes scanned the information eagerly and by the expression on her face Rose and Rey understood that what she was seeing impressed her.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"He was quite generous. This is more than I could hope to receive from our spy now that I know who he is.” she commented and then her face became serious and she showed what she saw to both of them. It was a list with names of arms and ship suppliers "I was suspicious of some, but this confirms that all of our current suppliers are profiting from both sides."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It was just like DJ had told Finn and her so many months ago. Those people didn't care who they sold to as long as they made a profit.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"What can we do about it, Leia?" asked Rey.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Until this war is over, unfortunately, not much, as we need them." she took a deep breath "Although the First Order is bringing chaos and misery to every corner of the galaxy, the only thing that matters to these people is that they continue to profit." without taking her eyes off the screen, she continued, "What else did he say, Rose?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose swallowed and forced herself to remember anything else he had said that wasn’t related to just the two of them<br/>"Um..." she started feeling her cheeks flush once again "He just said he would continue to help us and then he went back to the Steadfast before they noticed his absence."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia stared at her for a few seconds before nodding and going back to examining the data. Rose couldn't shake the feeling that Leia <em>knew</em> she was hiding something, but had decided not to pressure her.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Was that a good or a bad sign? Would the General put someone else to be the spy's contact? Would she forbid her to continue communicating with him? And would she be able to carry out such orders?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Thanks for that, Rose. Let me know if something new comes up.” asked Leia and dismissed them.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"She knows that I'm hiding something from her." commented Rose feeling a wave of panic wash over her when she and Rey left the command room.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey nodded "Even if you hadn't blushed with every sentence you said, I'm sure she felt you were hiding something."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Do you think I should go back there and tell her everything that happened? That's the right thing to do, isn't it?”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Is that what you want to do?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Honestly? No, it’s not." Rose looked around before asking, "Did you tell her about you and... <em>him</em>?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"No, but after the battle at Crait I asked her a lot of questions about him and I think she at least suspects that happened more between us than what I told her, but she never pressed me about it." replied Rey.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Don't you feel like you're betraying her trust?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“It may seem strange, but I don't. What's between Ben and me doesn't threaten the Resistance, and sometimes, I think we just haven't been attacked by the First Order so far because he doesn't want to do me any harm.” Rey stared at her "If you're afraid that Leia will accuse you of treason, I’m sure she would never do that. You are loyal to the Resistance and she has made it clear that she trusts you and your judgment.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I know and I will always be loyal to our cause." she looked in the direction of the command room and took a deep breath "But now I'm afraid that someone else will find out who our spy is and that, somehow, that information will eventually reach the ears of someone of the First Order." she looked into her friend's eyes "I don't want to... I <em>can't</em> lose him, Rey. I don't know if I would be able to move on if I lost someone else I love."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">After so long missing the connection she had shared with her family, although she had formed strong bonds with her friends in the Resistance, she only felt she had a home, a bellonging again when she met Hux. And now along with that feeling, fear inevitably came. Fear that he might be discovered. Fear of never seeing him again. Fear of dying without being able to see him again. Fear that the war would separate them forever. Fear that, in trying to end that war, he would make a slip that would cost them everything. Fear that the two would never have a chance to have a life together.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Without hesitating, Rey hugged her "Do you know what I learned when I tried to save Ben from Snoke's clutches and from the darkness and failed?" she asked and Rose shook her head "I learned that only he could choose to save himself, and that we are all instruments of the Force and that everything happens according to its designs.” she said and looked at her “Your meeting with Hux, as well as mine with Ben was due to the Force, but it is our choices that will determine whether we have a future or not.” she gave her a slight smile “I cannot promise that you won’t lose him, but he has already chosen you and now you need to control your fear and keep the faith that everything will be all right. Never let fear or doubt make you lose hope, Rose.” there was so much certainty in her voice and in her eyes that Rose felt herself fill with certainty as well.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Was that what she said to herself when she thought of Kylo? Did she tell herself to keep her faith in the Force and trust that everything would work out even when everything seemed hopeless?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose gave her a grateful smile and nodded and Rey held out her hand "Come, let's go to the mess hall to find something to eat."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Once there, Rose was able to distract her thoughts by watching Poe and Finn trying, and failing miserably, not to look at each other passionately while the four ate and talked about the latest happenings at the base. The tension between the two was even stronger than before they kissed and she wondered how long it would take for them to assume at once that they were in love and stop wasting time.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to have Hux there beside her, what it would be like to be able to hold his hand, touch him, kiss him whenever she wanted, without having to hide their relationship from the whole galaxy, what it would be like to love someone who wasn’t her enemy and be able to sleep and wake up beside him. What would her life be like if she could share everything with him, talk about her dreams, her hopes or just be able to tell about her day or the crazy ideas she used to have while working.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Everything would be so much easier if they were on the same side, but since when had it been easy for her or even for him? With a sigh, she forced herself to stop daydreaming and pay attention to her friends' chattering.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The afternoon was turning to night when Rose returned to her quarters and the first thing she did was to take her datapad and connect it to the channel that Hux and she used to communicate. She smiled when she saw that there was a message waiting for her:</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em> <b>TIE Fighter:</b> </em> <em> Flower, I arrived safely. There were no troopers waiting for me in the hangar, so I believe that my </em> <em>travel</em> <em> did not generate any kind of suspicion and the identity of the spy remains unknown. What about you?</em></p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Happy and relieved to hear from him and that he was safe, she responded quickly and decided to tell him about her conversation with Leia and her suspicion that the General suspected there was something between the two of them, even if it worried him. As she had expected, Hux imagined the worst, that she would be arrested and executed for treason, panicked and ended up suggesting that the two run away immediately before it was too late.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">As they talked about it, she realized how much worse his situation was than hers. After talking to Rey, she had convinced herself that if she told Leia about being in love with him, Leia would probably not accuse her of treason and continue to trust her and her judgment. But if Hux were discovered, if the relationship between them was discovered, he would not only be accused and executed for treason, but his connection to her could be used in some way to harm the Resistance.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux's panic made him say, or in this case, write, that she would be safer if they had never met, that Leia and the Resistance would lose confidence in her if they knew about their relationship or that she was in love with him, their enemy. Her heart ached when she read his words, but she understood how he felt, because she felt similarly. She knew how risky it was to have a relationship with someone on the enemy side, but she would rather take risks for falling in love and meeting him than for her life to go back to what it was before.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Like him, she felt that going to meet him was the best choice she had made and now she felt as if she had lived all her life incomplete, missing a piece and that she found that piece the moment their lips touched. Yes, they were both taking high risks, but if that meant that the two of them could have a future, a life together, she didn't mind taking chances. And if she still had a hint of doubt about his feelings for her, that conversation had ended all. Hux was determined to do anything not only to end that war but also to protect her and his devotion made her love him even more.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Just as before leaving Batuu, the two said goodbye wishing they could meet again soon and with promises to be extremely careful, but for Rose, the knowledge that the man she loved was at that moment thinking about how to destroy the First Order from the inside, made her worried and afraid that the next news she would receive about General Armitage Hux would be about his execution for treason. While she had friends who trusted her and her judgment and would defend her if anyone discovered her secret, Hux was alone in the First Order, without family, without friends, without allies, without anyone he could trust or count on besides his cat.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey's words were repeated in her mind and she heard herself saying the words she always heard Leia saying “<em>Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it, then you’ll never make it through the night.</em>” she held the datapad against her chest for a few seconds, visualizing a future in which she and Hux would be together and feeling her heart fill with hope “We will see each other again, my love. We will see each other again.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love Poe and Finn's relationship and I couldn't resist putting a dash of Stormpilot into the story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hux prepares everything for the ‘internal cleaning’ in the First Order.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p class="western">Back in his private quarters after a long shift on the bridge after meeting with the Supreme Leader and the Supreme Council, General Hux allowed himself to take a deep breath.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rumors of what had happened between him and Ren during the meeting had already spread through the Seadfast (and probably through the entire fleet) and he had been welcomed on the bridge by the perpetual air of mistrust and superiority of Allegiant General Pryde and by contemptuous looks from several other officers. Accustomed to this type of treatment since childhood, Hux had no difficulty in ignoring all of them, but it had been a relief to be able to be alone in his quarters and no longer have to pretend that his pride was hurt or that he felt defeated and humiliated by the orders he had received from Ren.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Everyone, of course, knew that what Ren had ordered was not the kind of thing that would be ordered to someone with the rank or even with the experience and knowledge that Hux had, that was why it was so important that the Supreme Council had the impression that Ren wanted to further humiliate the proud General and thus cover up their real intentions. Fortunately, maintaining the appearances of hostility and distrust between them was the only thing that Ren and he had absolutely agreed with and, Hux thought, the two had masterfully staged their roles before the council.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">He had always found it frustrating to attend those meetings with Ren and the Supreme Council because he had to listen to the same petty complaints and useless ideas from the council members who cared more for their egos than for the future of the Order. However, since Hux started passing intel to the Resistance months ago, those meetings had also become stressful, since he could enter that room as a free man and leave it as a man sentenced to execution if his identity as the spy had been discovered.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Although this time Ren didn't really choke him, all the tension that Hux had felt during the meeting left his muscles sore and all he wanted was a hot shower and a few hours of sleep, but there were other matters that needed his attention before he could surrender to tiredness.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">After paying attention to Millie and feeding her, he sat down at his desk, picked up his datapad and inserted the device Ren had given him at the meeting so he could read the list his ally had prepared. The first report he was to prepare was on the state of finance of the First Order, followed by reports on the current situation of the occupied territories, the inventory of military might and other resources, list of suppliers of weapons and ships and, finally, on intelligence data.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Those were information that few officers within the First Order had access to and some were considered to be confidential, but Hux didn't think anyone would suspect Ren for wanting to have access to them, after all he was the Supreme Leader and needed to know them intimately in order to plan the next steps of his government.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Although Ren had orchestrated everything in order to hide their real intentions, Hux's paranoia told him that he should be very careful and act with the utmost discretion. Pryde did not trust him and would certainly keep a close eye on him as long as Hux was on the bridge accessing that data.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Furthermore, even if he was the 'official' spy of the Resistance, there was always a risk that rumors would spread about what was going on inside the First Order and he knew he would have to warn Rose about what might happen in the next few days. The last thing he and Ren needed was for rumors about what they were doing to reach the Resistance, be misinterpreted and provoke a reaction that could ruin their plans.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">So, wanting to prevent this, he chose to tell Rose <em>part</em> of the truth.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b></em> <em> My dear Flower. Several important things have happened here since the last time we communicated and I will try to report them as completely as possible.</em></p>
  <p class="western"><em>Hours after my return to the Steadfast, Ren called an emergency meeting with the Supreme Council to announce that the First Order won the war and that it is time to take the next step. He seems really convinced that he is now the supreme ruler of the galaxy and that everyone, absolutely everyone, will agree to this and bow to him without a fight. The fool also believes that the spy cannot disrupt his plans and, apparently, he is no longer interested in discovering their, well, </em> <em>my</em> <em> identity.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Ren made it clear that he does not see the Resistance as a threat, that he will no longer waste the Order's resources looking for you all, and he hasn't even talked about finding your scavenger friend (which was very strange given his obsession with her), so I think he wants us to believe that he gave up on finding her just as he gave up on finding the Resistance.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I still don't know what he intends to do with the First Order or the galaxy, but I know he would never give up on meeting your friend, so I think it's best to stay tuned and keep an eye on him as closely as possible. And I will have plenty of opportunities to keep a close watch on him, since he ordered me to prepare the reports with all the information he needs to make decisions for the future of the First Order.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I know he hates me, but I still can't believe that idiot ordered me to do this! As if a General with all my experience had no other use for him! I've never been so outraged! He definitely wants the entire First Order to see me as humiliated and subservient as possible as if I were his private servant and not an important member of the First Order!<br/></em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux stopped typing and evaluated what he had just written. Was he overreacting? He needed to convince Rose that everything was under his control and not make her worry about him any more.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><b>TIE Fighter:</b> I'm sorry for the outburst, my Flower. I was feeling suffocated and needed to </em> <em>vent</em> <em>. Please don't worry about me. I'll be fine as long as I do everything he ordered, which I plan to do.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Going back to my report. I will prepare and deliver the reports to Ren daily and I intend to use those moments to find out as much about his plans and I will do everything to hinder and delay them.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Now he also needed to be careful not to let on that he knew more than he was telling her.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western">
    <em><b>TIE Fighter:</b> From what he told us, as soon as he has everything he needs in hand, Ren will order our entire fleet to assemble in Jakku's orbit to announce his decisions to the most important officers of the First Order. </em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Please let your General know about Ren's intentions. I don't want her to be caught off guard by news about suspicious First Order movements in that system and end up ordering an unnecessary attack that could cost many lives on both sides.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I know that things don't look encouraging, Flower, but the good news is that to make the reports Ren wants I will have full access to some of the First Order's most sensitive data and will be able to gather more information for the Resistance and, hopefully, help take another step towards the end of the war.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>One last thing. The task Ren gave me is not difficult, but I will need to dedicate myself to it full time if I want to finish the reports within the time given by him and ensure that my head will not be separated from my body. So, please don't panic if I don't send news in the next few days.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I promise that I will be careful and that I will send news of me and Ren's plan as soon as possible.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Never forget how much I love you, Flower and that I look forward to the day that I will see you again.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux did not feel well while typing those half-truths for Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">He knew that this was necessary and that those words would keep her from being worried if there was a lack of communication on his part and would help not arouse suspicion if something reached the Resistance’s ears from another source, but even so, he wished he could tell the whole truth to her, that he and Ren were working together to end the war because they loved her and Rey more than their own lives.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Sleep soon took over when he finally lay down after a long hot shower and he was feeling refreshed and full of energy when he woke up to the soft weight and warmth of Millie's body on his chest.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">As he entered the command bridge and sat in front of the terminal that had been reserved for him, it was impossible for Hux not to notice the satisfaction mixed with suspicion on Pryde's face when he saw him doing a task so below his rank. Externally, the General had decided to use the posture of someone who knew he had been defeated at his own game and who felt humiliated, but, internally, he could not deny that he was enjoying the situation.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Just as he had expected, the grumpy old man kept snooping around on his shoulder while he worked and often commenting on how Ren could be creatively cruel to those who disappointed him. Hux ignored him and continued his work, after all Ren's threat about delays could be false, but the need for that information was real and both needed it to be able to discuss and plan and adjust future actions. While for the majority the deadline Ren had given him would seem almost impossible for a person to meet without help, the two knew it would be enough time for the capable Hux to prepare everything Ren had requested and there would still be time to identify and list the names of all those who should be neutralized.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Preparing the report on the state of finance and investments of the First Order was easy and, thanks to his extreme familiarity with the subject, was completed one day before the deadline, leaving time for Hux to prepare an extra report containing estimates of how much their plan would cost and how much extra money they would need to do everything they wanted. Repair the damage that the First Order had caused the galaxy would require far more credit than he had first thought.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">At the end of the second day, as if he were actually timing the deadline, one of the bridge's communications officers informed Hux that the Supreme Leader was waiting for him in the throne room with the first report.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Let the Supreme Leader know that I'm on my way." said Hux and got up to leave the bridge, avoiding Pryde's disappointed look.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren was waiting for him sitting on his new throne, with Cardo and Trudgen standing on each side of him.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Unlike Snoke's throne room at the Supremacy, Ren's at the Steadfast was simpler and clearer and his throne looked more like an office chair when compared to his predecessor.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Leave us." ordered Ren when Hux entered.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"As you wish, master." the two said and obeyed his command.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"General." said Ren with a slight nod when the two were alone.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Supreme Leader." said Hux, bowing slightly.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I'm sorry for suffocating you during the meeting." said Ren and Hux looked at him in surprise. He hadn't expected an apology, but receiving one made him feel good.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Everyone knows that you despise me. If you hadn't choked me when I contradicted you, it would have looked suspicious.” countered Hux.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren nodded "You made it look very real."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I just wanted to make sure they didn't suspect that it was all an act." informed Hux and then decided to ask "Do your knights know about our plans?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Not yet."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Do you think it is really necessary to involve them?”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“You don't trust them.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“No, but in my defense, I am not good at trusting people.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“You trust me.” countered Ren.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux hesitated a second before saying, “I do. It still seems strange, but I do. However, the fact that your knights are mercenaries, loyal only to themselves and their desires makes them difficult to trust.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“They were just like that with the last Ren. Loyal only to themselves and their code, but things changed when I became their leader.” explained Ren “They became a kind of family to me when I left the Jedi temple and the seven of us created a brotherly bond that, in addition to the oath they made to me, unites us in a special way and allows me to believe that the six will collaborate with our plans and will even like it.” Ren gave him a small smile “They are free spirits and will be excited about the idea that they can roam the galaxy again, even if only to follow my orders.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux chose not to let his paranoia speak louder in this case and rely on his ally's judgment. It was better to have the six helping than acting against them "I will trust your judgment, Ren."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren gave him a slight nod, looking pleased with their agreement "Time was enough?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes." said Hux and handed the device with the report to him.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren inserted it into his datapad and started to read "I imagined our finances would be in a worse situation and did not expect our investments to be so diverse." he said after a few minutes.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"That was one of the good lessons that the Empire left us." commented Hux "The more diversified the investments, the lower the risk of losses and greater the gains."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"But even so, it is still not enough to do everything we planned."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"No, it's not." Hux agreed, understanding that he should have read the extra report with the estimates.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">After the two had discussed the priority points for spending the available credits, Ren dismissed him.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The following report on the current situation in the territories occupied by the First Order was also completed ahead of schedule and Hux took advantage of the hours he had left to start working on the list of people who were still loyal to the former Emperor and the ideals of the Empire.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Having been raised by his father while the First Order was raised from the ashes of the Empire was of great use to Hux in that task, as he was aware of which followers were the most fervent and loyal to the Emperor's ideals and which posed a greater or lesser threat to the their plans. At the top of the list was the Allegiant General Enric Pryde, whom Hux considered at the same time the most loyal to the Emperor and the most capable of being able to convince others to strike a blow to Ren's government if he even suspected his new intentions with the Order.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux exaggerated his expression of displeasure and misery as he stood up and left the bridge after one of the communications officers warned him that the Supreme Leader was waiting for him in his private quarters. To his surprise, he received some proud looks from some officers on his way out and an encouraging nod and a sincere smile from lieutenant Mitaka, making him think that perhaps members of the First Order had more empathy and compassion than he had imagined.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Those silent displays of support dominated his thoughts as he proceeded to meet Ren and he couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, that was a sign that those people could be considered potential allies or, at least, that the changes that were about to happen would indeed be welcomed by those who had joined the First Order for wishing a better galaxy for everyone.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Lost in thought, the General was almost in the corridor that would lead to Ren's personal quarters when he heard his voice saying urgently, "... and I <em>swear</em> I'm doing things differently, Rey." and, on hearing the girl's name, Hux stopped walking.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The Scavenger? Here? But how had she managed to board the Steadfast without being seen? Not even a force user would be able to get in undetected. Had Ren allowed her in, or was she wearing some kind of disguise like Rose had once used to infiltrate the Supremacy?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren wouldn't be foolish enough to risk her being recognized, would he? After all, for months she had been hunted by the First Order and everyone there, except for Hux, believed she was Snoke's killer.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">No, he didn't believe that Ren would have taken that kind of risk and they should be communicating via comlink.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">But if that was the case, why wasn't Hux hearing her voice?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“You just wanted to free me from Snoke's clutches and from the darkness and I was wrong when I asked you to join me and rule by my side. I can see that now.” Ren continued in a tone full of misery.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux waited, but, again, did not hear the girl's response. Curious, he walked silently to the corner of the corridor and looked at where Ren was. The man was in profile for Hux's position, talking to… <em>the wall</em>?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren was talking to himself? Not that it was news to Hux, since he had already witnessed Ren talking to himself in the past and even knew that he used to talk to the remains of his grandfather's helmet, but why do that in the middle of the corridor where he could be heard by anyone and not in his private quarters? Was Ren training what he would say to his scavenger when he met her in person?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux frowned, confused. His confusion turned to amazement when out of nowhere, the scavenger materialized in front of Ren, her hand resting affectionately on his arm.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">What <em>kriffing</em> was going on? Could they use the Force to become invisible? Was this how she had managed to board the ship without anyone noticing her?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"... you to be happy." he heard her say in a loving tone and then disappeared.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux gasped and blinked several times and rubbed his eyes with his hands. Was he hallucinating from having slept so little in the past few days? Did he have a problem with his eyes from overwork? Was he going crazy?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Now I know that the only right path is the one that I walk with you.” said Ren and the girl reappeared when his hand rested on her cheek “Rey, I can only be happy with you. My place is and will always be by your side.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"You know I feel the same way, Ben." said the girl, her cheeks flushing “But <em>how</em> are we going to be together? I want to be with you so badly, but I can't follow the same path as you and you…”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I know and I will never ask you for anything like that again." He stroked her cheek and Hux realized that she was crying “Rey, I want you to understand that I wasn't ready to leave everything behind at that point. But now I am and I need you to trust me. <em>Please</em>." he pleaded.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She met his gaze and nodded and it made him relax. The two then looked at each other, their expressions soft and with sweet smiles.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux wondered if Rose knew the two had this kind of relationship, if Rose was Rey’s confidant just as the scavenger was for her. Had Rose ever witnessed something like what Hux was seeing? Well, if he survived the next few minutes, he would certainly ask her.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I miss you so much, Ben." she said hugging him "I dream about you every night and spend the whole day waiting for the moment when the Force will allow us to have those moments."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Me too." said Ren, wrapping his arms around her and placing a kiss on her hair. And then the scavenger disappeared again.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren looked at the place where she had been seconds before and then at his empty hands, looking lost and sad. Hux couldn't help feeling sorry for him, as that was how he felt being away from Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Without thinking, moved by a sudden wave of compassion for his ally, Hux walked towards him and their eyes met when Ren turned in his direction. There was a vulnerability in his gaze that Hux had never seen and that scared him and made him stop. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, and when Ren's face became serious, Hux feared that he would kill him without giving him a chance to explain himself.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"How long have you been there?" he asked, his tone more suspicious than annoyed.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux swallowed and forced himself to respond in a tone that he expected to be carefree “Three minutes. Maybe more." so he lifted the storage device in his hands "I came to deliver the report, as you ordered, Supreme Leader." Ren looked at the device in his hand and nodded "You said that I should meet you in your private quarters and I came right away." continued Hux wishing not to arouse Ren's ire "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Of course you didn’t. You were only doing what you were told.” Ren interrupted him "Come with me, General." he ordered in a neutral tone.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux followed him to his quarters without saying anything more. The two sat facing each other at the table in the center of the quarters and Hux placed the device with the report on the table hoping that Ren would want to forget what had happened and read the report immediately, but instead he looked at him and said "You saw Rey appear and disappear in midair and are trying to find an explanation for that." Hux stared at him for a few seconds before nodding "Rey and I have a bond in the Force and that bond allows us to communicate no matter how far we are from each other."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I'm afraid I didn't understand what your words mean, Supreme Leader." said Hux, frowning. He considered himself an intelligent man, but when it came to mystical matters like the Force, he had to admit that it was not easy for his mind to understand.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Do you remember that I said that the Force is like a network of cables holding together everything that exists in the universe?" Hux nodded "Think of my bond with Rey as a direct connection between the two of us, and when that connection opens, we can see and touch each other."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"How does this thing... this <em>bond</em> work?" asked Hux, letting his curiosity speak louder than his survival instinct.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“We still haven't figured out how it works or how to control it. Our only theory is that the bond only opens when the Force wants it to open.” explained Ren “Over time our connection has become stronger and stronger and recently we discovered that when we touch each other, we become visible in the place where the other is. That's how your Rose found out about us.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux gaped at his revelation "I didn't know she knew about you two."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren gave him a slight smile "It just proves that she is a loyal friend and very good at keeping secrets."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">He smiled, feeling proud of her, but then the fear made him ask, "Are you going to kill us?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"<em>What?</em>" said Ren looking genuinely confused by the question.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Rose and I. Are you going to kill us for discovering this… bond, your connection to Rey?”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"<em>No!</em>" said Ren indignantly "Why would I waste time explaining my connection to her if I was going to kill you to hide my secret?" he didn't know what to say and Ren took a deep breath before continuing “The two are confidantes to each other. I know about you and Rose and I read your conversations. It seems fair that you know about Rey and me and about our bond.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Oh." was all he managed to say.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">He definitely didn't expect that kind of attitude from Ren or that he would see it that way. In fact, the man before him was very different from the man he had known as Snoke's apprentice. The former Kylo Ren was sarcastic, explosive, violent, a caged wild animal, a stormy sky. This <em>‘new’</em> Kylo Ren was, Hux couldn’t believe he would use those words to describe him, sweet, kind and compassionate.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><em>Ben Solo</em>, a voice whispered in his head. The man before him was no longer Kylo Ren, he was Ben Solo. Or, at least, he was becoming the person he would be if Snoke hadn't interfered in his life.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"This connection..." began Hux cautiously "what else is possible?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren thought for a few seconds, "We can exchange things between us and, as you saw, when we touch or touch something around us, others can see it too."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">A crazy thought crossed his mind and before he could stop himself, Hux asked "People too?" Ren frowned and he continued, “Could I see and talk to Rose? Or touch her like you and Rey can touch if we were with you two when the bond opened up?”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren looked at him, looking both surprised and satisfied with his question, but pondered a few seconds before answering “I don't know if you two could touch, but I think you could see and hear each other if Rey and I are touching you.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren's response made him smile, but his happiness died when he realized something "But, as you two have no control over when the bond will connect you..."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"You and Rose would have to be with me and Rey all the time."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Maybe that's possible for Rose, but it wouldn't be good for our plans for me to be with you all the time."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Don't lose hope, Hux. You will see her again.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes, but only if we survive the next few days." Hux countered with melancholy.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"We will survive. We <em>have</em> to survive.” said Ren and began to read the report that Hux had prepared "The number of troopers in the territories is smaller than I expected." he said after a few minutes.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"All weapons were seized, their main leaders were arrested or executed and a curfew was implemented." explained Hux "That was enough to maintain order."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And to spread fear among the population." commented Ren “In addition to helping rebuild cities, there are many other things to do. We will have to find ways to make the economy work and restore trade routes on those systems.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I believe that once the territories are no longer occupied by our forces, trade will be one of the first things to return to normal."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren nodded "However, in poorer systems, perhaps our help will be needed if we are to ensure that the economy strengthens."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The two discussed which systems would or would not receive financial assistance to strengthen their economy, which would need more resources to build infrastructure and which activities should be encouraged. Some places were not apt for agriculture, but for mining. Some would just need the First Order to remove the blockages for the economy to flourish again, while others would need a lot of investment to regain interest and strengthen their economies.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">On the fourth day, while Hux was preparing the report on military might and other resources, Pryde was bored with his task and let him work in peace. The destruction of the Supremacy had almost halved the number of TIE fighters and other types of ships and vehicles, but stocks of minerals, weapons, food and medical supplies had been almost fully recovered. The losses of troopers during the war had also been considerable, and currently only sixty-nine percent of them were fully trained and the other thirty-one were still at different stages of the training program. During the discussion of this report, Ren and he agreed that one of the first things they would do would be to stop the troop training program and that one of their priorities would be to reconnect them with their families if they were still alive.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The report containing the list of all the suppliers of weapons and ships, for which they had special plans, was completed in a few hours and Hux took the remaining time to access the personal records of each member of the Supreme Council to find out the names of those officers who held positions of trust in their destroyers and add them to their cleaning list. After Ren reviewed the report, it was agreed that it would be precisely from their suppliers that the rest of the credits needed to carry out their plans would come and that their factories would be used to manufacture things more important to the galaxy than weapons.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The latest report, the one on intelligence, contained the most diverse types of information, ranging from names of the informants in the offices of senators and governors in the most important systems to informants associated with the Resistance, information about planets rich in minerals and other natural resources and information related to their weapons suppliers, as the location and productive capacity of their factories as well as the estimated values of their fortunes.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux was pleased with himself when he finished the last report. In those last few days, between preparing reports, meeting Ren, and finalizing the list of names, Hux barely took the time to eat, sleep or pay attention to Millie, and, as he had predicted, he had been unable to contact Rose. However, all that effort had paid off and the result of his work was a complete inventory of everything that belonged to or was related to the First Order and a list of more than ten thousand names.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Anxious and with the fruit of his last day's work in his hands, Hux went looking for the Supreme Leader, knowing that Pryde was probably wondering if Ren would find another degrading task for him. Ren was waiting for him in the place where it all started, the meeting room. After evaluating the intelligence data and discussing the possibilities, it was time to discuss the next issue. <em>The list</em>.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The number of people loyal to the Empire is bigger than what I expected." he said looking from the datapad in his hands to Hux "After 30 years, I thought most of them were already dead."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"They are good at surviving and I believe the number is higher, Ren." commented Hux “But these are the most dangerous and who we should be concerned with now. The rest pose no threat to our plans and we can deal with them at another time if necessary.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren nodded "I trust your evaluation, General."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Thank you, Supreme Leader." he said, really feeling grateful for his confidence.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"You did an excellent job, Hux and I expected no less from you." said Ren sincerely and Hux couldn't help but smile "You deserve a break after all this effort."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Believe me, tiredness was the last thing I felt when making these reports knowing that each one of them would help us end this war."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Ren returned the datapad “So, I think it's time for us to act. You have my permission to start the next phase of our plan.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux smiled "It will be a great pleasure to do that, Supreme Leader." he said and left.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Back on the bridge, Hux was greeted by Pryde's sarcasm.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"General, you must have done a satisfactory job, since, in addition to being alive, our Supreme Leader has ordered the entire fleet to assemble in Jakku's orbit so that he can pronounce the new directions of the First Order."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux made no effort to hide his satisfaction this time and smiled "Yes, I believe the Supreme Leader was indeed satisfied with my work."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The older man assessed him for a few seconds, looking uncomfortable with Hux's reaction. “Don't let this go to your head, General. Keep your ambitions in check and remember that the Supreme Leader still sees you as a worthless bastard, just like your father always did.” countered Pryde trying to sour his joy.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux was serious, but he didn't let Pryde's words affect him “Don't worry about my ambitions, sir. The Supreme Leader himself has always made it crystal clear what my place is in his government.” he said and turned to the bridge communication station "Send a call to everyone on that list immediately." he ordered handing over a storage device containing the list he had prepared to one of the officials "All the necessary details are in the file."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The call was simple and said that the Supreme Leader had selected them personally to be the first to know his plans and that he also wanted to express his recognition and gratitude for their work and extreme loyalty to the First Order. Something simple and direct and that would inflate the ego of the conveneds and keep them distracted enough so that they did not suspect that something was wrong.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Sir?" called one of the communication technicians about five minutes later and he looked at her anxiously "Everyone received the call, sir."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">He took a deep breath and nodded "Thank you, lieutenant."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">In thirty hours, the changes in the First Order would begin and they would be one step closer to ending the war or a step closer to <em>die trying</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The new directions of the First Order are announced.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p class="western">At the will of their Supreme Leader, the entire fleet of the First Order was assembled in Jakku's orbit. Without the imposing presence of the Supremacy, the fleet seemed smaller and unprotected, but even so, there was currently no other fleet in the galaxy that could defeat them.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">For both General Hux and the Supreme Leader, holding that encounter in Jakku's orbit was very symbolic.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">It was there that the fleet of the Galactic Empire had fought its last battle against the Rebel Alliance. It was there that Hux himself, still a little boy, had his life changed by Counselor Gallius Rax when he was given the command of Jakku's band of wild orphans.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">It was on the day of that last battle that Ben Solo was born. It was during that battle that Emperor Palpatine's contingency plan was put into practice and, thus, with the destruction of the Empire, years later the First Order would appear in the Unknown Regions of space.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">And now the First Order, whose purpose was to restore the Empire, would be transformed into something new and whose sole mission would be to improve the lives of all the inhabitants of the galaxy.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">For Hux, this was the turning point and he was feeling nervous and anxious. And his nervousness and anxiety only increased every time he thought that, if they managed to get rid of everyone who posed a threat, they could continue with their plan, but if something went wrong, if someone from the Supreme Council escaped, their plan would be in danger and, in a worst case scenario, he and Ren could end up dead and the galaxy would be doomed.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The main hangar of the Steadfast was packed, both with the guests and the troopers specially chosen by Hux for security, and they were all just waiting for Ren to show up. Ren was many minutes late and that made Hux more anxious and worried as the minutes passed and his anxiety intensified when he looked at Ren's knights gathered silently beside him.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux knew that none of the knights had any appreciation for him and Hux had always despised those six and saw them as mercenaries only loyal to themselves and their interests and had been against it when Ren had told him that he would involve his knights in their plans, however Ren had insisted and assured him that his knights were loyal to him and only him. Of course, Ren knew the six better than Hux, but for the General it was natural to distrust everyone and be paranoid.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The Leader of the Knights Ren had explained to him that the oath that the six had done when he killed the former leader of the group, could only be broken by his death. Apparently, as long as Kylo Ren was alive, the knights would be loyal to him and would do whatever he said, whether or not they agreed with his orders. Hux understood the faith and trust that Ren placed in his knights and that he even saw them as a kind of family, but he couldn't help but fear that, at any moment, the two could be betrayed by either of them.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">After Ren finished evaluating the reports prepared by Hux and gave him permission to continue with the plan, he immediately brought his knights up to date on what was happening and ordered them to help Hux position the troopers in the hangar and hide reinforcements at strategic points on the ship so that none of the guests would suspect anything.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Having no idea why Ren was late, Hux's anxiety turned to impatience and he found himself turning to Vicrul and asking "Where's the Supreme Leader?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"He was in the throne room when he dismissed us and I believe he is still there." replied the knight in a calm tone.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux had no idea how the knight managed to stay so calm when so much was at stake.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Our guests are already here." said Hux impatiently "The Supreme Leader should be here too."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"He is the Supreme Leader and he decides when and how to do things, General." countered Vicrul "All we can do is do what he says."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux felt his impatience turn to irritation "Have you at least tried to contact him?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"He doesn't respond to his comlink." informed Cardo "We have all tried."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"And did any of you ever go to the throne room to find out what's been holding him back for so long?" asked Hux irritably and only received laughter in response.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux took his own comlink and tried to contact Ren, but there was no response. Cardo looked at him "I told you." he said and Hux could imagine him rolling his eyes under his helmet.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He put the device back in his coat pocket and took a deep breath before saying “Very well. I am going there."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The six looked at each other and back at him "He doesn't like to be disturbed, General." said Ap’lek.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"I know," he countered as calmly as he could, "but this is much more important than anything that is holding him back in the throne room."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"It is your neck to put at risk." said Ushar with an amused tone, as if wondering what Ren would do to anyone who dared to interrupt whatever he was doing at that moment.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Exactly. Keep an eye on our guests and don't let any of them leave.” he retorted and walked away trying not to attract attention or arouse suspicion in the guests.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">None of them tried to stop him and Hux couldn't help but fear for the worst.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">What if the six had betrayed their master and killed Ren?</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">What if Ren was injured in the throne room and needed help?</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">What if it was too late to help him?</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">And if he was already…</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">No, he couldn't let his paranoia make him lose focus now.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Everything is fine." he whispered repeatedly to himself as the turbolift took him to his destination.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Everything was fine.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Everything <em>had</em> to be fine.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Their plan was still a secret and when he reached the throne room, he would see that Ren was alive.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren <em>had</em> to be alive.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Relief flooded his being when the doors of the turbolift opened and he heard Ren's voice. Seeing that there was no one else in the throne room with him, Hux immediately concluded that the bond had opened and he was talking to his scavenger.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The knowledge that Ren was not hurt or in need of help but enjoying the few moments that the Force allowed him to have with his beloved made Armitage Hux feel like a fool. After what he saw and what Ren had told him about how their bond works, how had it not crossed his mind that the reason that would prevent Ren from going to the hangar was because the bond between him and Rey had opened up?</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The knights were right, Hux should have been patient and waited for Ren like everyone else. But with so much at stake that day, the fear that something had happened to Ren had added to his nervousness and anxiety and clouded his judgment, preventing him from seeing that the only thing more important to Ren than what they were doing was his Rey.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He had made a bad decision by going there without being summoned by Ren and ended up sticking his nose where it does not belong. After all, just because he and Ren were allies and were starting to trust each other and building a friendly relationship, it didn't mean that Hux had the right or the permission to meddle in Ren's personal affairs.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He turned to the turbolift with the intention of leaving and giving them privacy, but before the doors opened again, he heard Ren's voice calling out to him.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"General."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Feeling embarrassed, he turned to face him and hurried to say "Sorry for the interruption, Supreme Leader, but you didn't answer your comlink and I was..."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“You were overly concerned about why I was late for such an important occasion. I could feel your anxiety and nervousness from here.” Ren interrupted him, looking more amused than irritated by the interruption "I know I'm being expected, but more important matters have kept me here."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Once again I apologize. I should have assumed it was the bond that was holding you here and waited, but I was impatient and wor...” Hux cleared his throat to hide his lapse. The last thing he wanted was for Ren to know that he cared about his safety "and I thought it best to come and tell you in person that everything is ready."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Are <em>they all</em> here?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Each one of them and everything is going according to plan."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren nodded and put his gloves back on "So let's get this over with."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Doesn't <em>she</em> know what we're doing here yet?" Hux couldn't help asking.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">It was being difficult for him not to tell Rose everything, so much so that he still hadn't contacted her since he started making reports, but at least their way of contact made it easier for him to hide things from her. If he had his mind connected with Rose's, he would let her examine every corner she wanted to look at.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren seemed surprised by the question, but replied, “She can feel that important changes are taking place. Both inside me and in the First Order," said Ren looking him in the eye. "But we agreed not to talk about war in the rare moments that the Force connects us. It’s safer for everyone that way.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux nodded "If we are successful today, it will no longer be necessary to hide anything from her or Rose."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Not <em>if</em> , but <em>when</em> we succeed, General." countered Ren and the two entered the turbolift "I imagine you must be looking forward to seeing Rose again."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux never imagined that it would be possible to miss someone so much and sighed before saying "You have no idea how much I would love to be able to even hear her voice."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"After today, you can do more than just exchange messages with her."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"And you'll be able to see Rey too, won't you?" Ren shook his head “<em>What?</em> Why not?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Rey and I..." he started looking like he was looking for the right words "it's complicated."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Complicated?" asked Hux "I had the impression that your feelings are reciprocated by her."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"And they are." he said and took a deep breath “All the Resistance admires and trusts her and I don't want her to be seen as a traitor if our relationship is discovered now. I don't want what we feel for each other to put her in danger.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">It was the same fear that Hux felt about Rose.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"And what does she think about it?"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren looked at him and there was a shadow of sadness in his eyes "If I decided to leave the First Order right now, she would leave everything behind to stand by me without thinking about the consequences or what she would be leaving behind."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux remembered how Rose was willing to do the same for him and gave a humorless laugh before saying "We really don't deserve them, Ren."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Not yet." he countered, "But we are doing our best to deserve them and to deserve a place in their lives."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Not knowing exactly what to say, Hux just nodded.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">It was still weird to have that kind of conversation with Ren, not only to hear him talking so openly about his life but to talk about his as well. However, those little moments, that trusting relationship they were building, made Hux feel important, <em>valuable</em>.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">And that was a new, comforting feeling and it made him wonder if that was how his Rose felt when she thought of her rebel friends and, therefore, would risk her own life to protect them? Was that what it meant to have a friend? Was it friendship that was born between him and his former rival? Were he and Ren becoming friends even if that was not their intention when they became allies? Were they becoming confidantes to each other, just like Rose and Rey? Did Ren feel the same way he did?</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Whatever the answers, it was not the right time to think about that sort of thing. The turbolift door opened and, as the two walked to the hangar where their guests were waiting, Hux and Ren went over the last details of their speeches once again.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Upon entering the hangar, everyone stood at attention and Ren walked in front of the ranks of officers and examined their satisfied and proud faces while Hux resumed his place beside the knights.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The General recognized many of those faces and was pleased to know that they would soon be less than happy to be there. Allegiant General Enric Pryde, Admiral Frantis Griss, General Bellava Parnadee, General Amret Engell and General Domaric Quinn, the members of the Supreme Council, stood in front, side by side, chin up and proud looks.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">For a few seconds, Hux allowed himself to savor that moment where he was fully aware of what was really about to happen there and how soon those five would be trapped in the cell block and with no hope of escaping being tried or being executed for their crimes.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren moved to stand beside him and gave him a brief nod.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Our Supreme Leader asked me to bring all of you together here for a very special reason." began Hux, his voice being amplified by a small droid in front of him and reaching everyone gathered there "Not only so that you can be the first to know his plans for the future of the First Order, but also to thank you for your work, your loyalty and your dedication to our organization."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux took a step back and attention focused on Ren.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"It is with pride that today I welcome each of you here to inform you of the new directions of the First Order and to recognize that, without your valuable contribution, we would not have won the war." Ren started in a firm, clear voice "The road here has been long and exhausting." some people nodded “Some of you have seen the Empire born and have faithfully served the Emperor from the beginning or enlisted afterwards and served with pride until his death. Some of you were here in Jakku's orbit when the Galactic Empire was defeated, but it did not affect your loyalty and your faith in what the Empire represented. You trusted and believed in the Emperor's contingency plan, helped to rise the First Order from its ashes and all this effort has brought us to this moment. Some of you joined the First Order in its beginnings and others, like me, joined over the years, but each and every one of you has dedicated your lives to it, to making it fearful and powerful as it is today. I tell you all that we would not be the war machine we are now without the help and commitment of all of you.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">He paused for a few seconds while looking some of the officers in the eye “It was thanks to all this hard work that we won the war, the galaxy is ours and the time has come for all of you to receive the reward you deserve for all those years of loyal service.” everyone cheered and applauded. Ren let his gaze roam the ranks for a few seconds before motioning for them to be quiet and continued “Starting today, we will show the galaxy that we not only can, but are better than the Galactic Empire and the Republic have ever managed to be. Today you will witness the beginning of a new phase where the First Order will leave behind any and all similarities with the Empire.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren looked at the council members "Today we will leave the past behind us and a new Order will be born in the same place where the Galactic Empire was defeated, a new order with new, different and better goals." informed Ren and the crowd applauded, but with less enthusiasm than before "Yes, the galaxy is ours, but not for us to rule." people started exchanging confused looks with each other “The galaxy is ours to protect and bring peace and prosperity to all its inhabitants. And that's what we will do from today.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"But, Supreme Leader, that was not the will of Emperor Palpatine." Pryde objected "The First Order must <em>restore</em> the Empire and <em>rule</em> the galaxy."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren looked at Pryde and everyone else who nodded in agreement with him "Any resemblance between us the Empire, will be left behind today."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"These are not the Emperor's orders!" General Domaric Quinn insisted indignantly "What you are suggesting is treason!"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"No, it is not treason." Ren replied calmly “My grandmother, Padmé Amidala fought in defense of freedom and democracy. My grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, killed the Emperor. My parents, Leia Organa and Han Solo and my uncle Luke Skywalker, fought to defeat the Empire. I am being loyal to my family and I will finish what they started. I will end what is left of the Empire, restore democracy, and ensure that there is peace in the galaxy.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"You can not do that!" General Amret Engell intervened, one of the few who did not resent the fact that Ren had taken control of the Order.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Ren looked at him “Ah, but <em>I can</em>. Watch me.” he said and looked at Hux and nodded.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Troopers, now!" ordered Hux on his comlink and twice the number of troopers in the hangar entered, positioning themselves next to those already in the hangar and blocking all the access doors.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux watched as the satisfaction and pride on the faces before them were gradually replaced by doubt and then apprehension and fear at seeing the troopers with handcuffs in their hands.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Arrest them all." ordered Ren, his voice calm.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Hux could not deny that he was satisfied to see their panic when they were surrounded and immobilized by the troopers.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"You can't do this to us, you bastard!" shouted Admiral Griss staring at him with angry eyes as he realized that the arrest order did not apply to him.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"<em>It is you!</em> You are the spy!” exclaimed Pryde when he realized what Griss had, his eyes fixed on Hux and in response, he just smiled "Arrest him, arrest General Hux! Arrest this traitor!" shouted Pryde trying to get away from his captor and looked at Ren in despair, hoping it would change his destiny, hoping that whatever Hux had done to convince Ren of his loyalty would become insignificant in the face of that truth “He's the spy! This <em>kriffing</em> bastard has been passing information to the Resistance for months!"</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I know, Pryde. I <em>always</em> knew that Hux was the spy.” said Ren calmly and Pryde's face filled with surprise and, seconds after understanding and then with fury.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Time seemed to slow down when Pryde managed to free himself from the trooper that held him, took the blaster out of his hands and shot directly at Hux.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western"> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Empire loyalists are arrested</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Rose's face was the only thing Hux could think of as he faced the </span>
  <span>vibrant red beam</span>
  <span> stopped in the air a few inches from </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> face. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>And he barely had time to understand that he had not been hit and was still alive when the beam of light moved away from him and hit Pryde's chest, which slid a few meters on the floor, dead.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Are you okay?" asked Ren in a worried tone and Hux, still in shock, nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on Pryde's body.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Are you defending this traitor?" shouted General Parnadee, his eyes flashing with fury “You should kill him and not protect him! He betrayed you! He betrayed the First Order and all of us!”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Don't you see, Parnadee? They both betrayed us!” </span><span>said</span><span> Griss trying to free himself from the troopers that held him.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"You two are just filthy traitors!" shouted General Engell, already immobilized.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>We should have expected something like that from the spawn of a terrorist and a smuggler and from a useless bastard calved by an insignificant whore!” exclaimed Griss with poison in his voice. </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Those words took Hux out of his stupor and he felt like taking his own blaster and killing each one, but Ren ignored them and looked at the crowd before them. The majority tried in vain to free themselves from their captors.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"There are three troopers for each of you and that leaves you with two options." said Ren and, hearing his words, the prisoners stared at him "Do not resist and live long enough to have a fair trial and, perhaps, to see your families again." he pointed to Pryde's body "Or resist and be executed immediately."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Gradually, the prisoners stopped resisting and let the troopers handcuff them and lead them to the cell block without offering any more resistance.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren turned to his knights “Go and follow everything closely. And if there is any problem, you already know what to do.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Yes, master." the six responded and followed the crowd of troopers and prisoners with their weapons in hand.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux turned to Ren and looked at him with relief and disbelief "Did you just save my life?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren turned to him "Why the surprise, General?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"You saved me." repeated Hux, still unable to believe that it had really happened, that Ren had managed to stop a </span>
  <span>blaster beam</span>
  <span> in midair, centimeters before hitting him and saving his life.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren shrugged, as if that was a commonplace "I </span>
  <span>did</span>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The worst was that this was not even the first time Ren had saved him from certain death! A few years ago, when the ship where the two were traveling had been sabotaged in order to kill the General, Ren had used the Force to save both their lives. And Hux knew that he had saved his life on purpose, even claiming that he had saved him just because he ‘was around’.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren's gesture had been unexpected and incomprehensible both the first time and now. Hux had hated him practically from the moment the two met and, although he had agreed to be his ally and the two had been closer in the past few days and talked about </span>
  <span>their</span>
  <span> feelings, he had not expected the other man to care about his survival to the point of protecting him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"But, </span>
  <span>
    <em>why</em>
  </span>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren looked at him, looking confused by both his reaction and his question, "What do you mean, General?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>
    <em>Why</em>
  </span>
  <span> did you save my life?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"And why shouldn't I save?" he replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Because we are nothing to each other. Because you don't like me and I don't like you.” replied Hux and added "And you know that I would not have moved a muscle to help you and that I would probably be ecstatic with your death."</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>Would you</span>
  <span>?" said Ren with an amused expression.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux groaned. Of course the bastard had felt that his feelings for him had changed in the past few days. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>No, I would not. Although I would not have stood between you and the </span><span>blast</span><span>, I certainly would also kill anyone who tried to kill you and would not be happy if you died.” he grudgingly admitted, "Maybe I would even miss you."</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>
    <span>"And I couldn't let my only ally die, could I?" said Ren with a small smile and then added in a serious tone "When I told you of my plan, I said that our lives would be in danger, but that does not mean that I would let you die if it were in my power to save you."</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>In his mind, he imagined that Ren saw him only as a pawn in his game and, as such, completely disposable. Now he couldn't go on thinking like that anymore. It was obvious that Ren did not hate him as he imagined and that he felt compassion and friendship for him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Maybe it would be nice to have an ally who </span>
  <span>
    <em>cared</em>
  </span>
  <span> about him and didn't just </span>
  <span>
    <em>use</em>
  </span>
  <span> him.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Maybe it would be nice to have a friend </span>
  <span>
    <em>and</em>
  </span>
  <span> an ally.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Maybe it would be nice to have someone to trust, someone who not only valued </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> life but would not hesitate to save it.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Thanks for saving my life again, Ben." he said sincerely using his real name and the other man smiled and nodded.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>You don't have to thank me, Armitage. Allies… </span><span><em>friends</em></span><span> protect each other.” he replied.</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"><span>Hux felt unexpected happiness when he saw on the face of his former rival that he, too, had become a friend to Ren. So little time had passed since they had allied, but it had been enough for the two to put their differences aside and work together so that a different kind of bond had formed between them.</span> <span>A bond not as mystical as the one he had with Rey, but one just as </span><span><em>powerful</em></span><span> and </span><span><em>precious</em></span><span>. </span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>The two remained standing there, watching the last prisoners being led to the cell block.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"What do we do now, Supreme Leader?" he asked when everyone was taken, including Pryde's body.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Now?" Ren looked at him "Now that our path is clear we can put the next phase of our plan into practice without anyone trying to stop us."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded "I will order the immediate interruption of the troop training program and also the sending of humanitarian aid and the beginning of the withdrawal of troops and space blocks in the territories occupied by the Order."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Excellent." said Ren "And how soon do you think deprogramming will start to work?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"This has never been done before." said Hux sincerely "But I believe it will be easier and faster for younger cadets than for older ones."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"We already know that some are more resistant to the program than others." he said referring to the case of FN-2187.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"FN-2187 was not the only one to defect." confessed Hux.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren looked at him, surprised "I didn't know that." he said "When did it happen?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"After the battle at Crait." replied Hux "I kept it a secret to protect myself and also hid all the records so General Engell wouldn't find out." he explained, "You never approved of my program and I feared that you would not only terminate it, but you would end up getting rid of me if you knew about these other defections."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I know what it's like to be taken from your family to live a life defined by other people." said Ren "And knowing that others resisted and deserted gives me hope that we will be able to free them from the lies told to them for so many years."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux nodded "Perhaps we can involve FN-2187 in some way in this task." suggested Hux "As an ex-trooper, he can help others see the truth that the First Order has hidden from them."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>This is an excellent idea, General. Something more to discuss with the Resistance leadership if they agree to meet with us.” said Ren "What about their families?"</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>Don't worry, Supreme Leader. I put a person of my utmost confidence to work on it…”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>A person</span>
  <span> of your utmost confidence?" Ren interrupted him, surprised "I didn't know you had utmost confidence in anyone other than yourself, General."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Well, now I have." he countered and, even though he felt uncomfortable, explained, "You told me that Snoke stoked our rivalry because he feared what we could do together if we trusted each other." Ren nodded “As hard as it is to admit, we are both going to need a lot of help to do everything we planned and, while I was preparing the reports, I realized that some officers had the potential to be our allies, or at least they would welcome the changes we want to make because they joined the Order because they wanted to make the galaxy a better place. And, since I was looking for those who would be a risk, I ended up doing the same with those who would be an advantage to our plans.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren studied him for a few seconds before saying “Trust. I imagine that experience must have been difficult for you, Hux.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren had no idea how difficult it had been, after all, Hux's paranoia had kept him alive through the years, but after he realized that the two would need all the help they could get and see how some people had reacted to how he was being treated by Ren and Pryde, he knew that trusting was exactly what he would need to do.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"Yes and it was you who showed me the importance of doing this, of trusting others." admitted Hux “You were right when you trusted your knights. You know them and you know you can count on them. In the past few days I realized that, after so many years, I also knew the officers who had served under my command. I realized that I also knew who I could trust or not.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I am proud of you, General."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Hux can't help but smile and nodded "As I was saying, I put someone of my utmost confidence, lieutenant Mitaka, in charge of the task and in a few hours that information will be in your hands."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren nodded “Thank you, General. I want one of our priorities to be to resume contact between the troopers and their families.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"That will be done, Supreme Leader." said Hux "What about the prisoners, have you changed your mind?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"</span>
  <span>I didn’t</span>
  <span>. We will keep them alive for now.”</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"I don't understand why you insist on letting them live, Supreme Leader."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“<span>If we are going to let the past die and turn the First Order into something better, it means that we must </span><span><em>act</em></span><span> differently, General. When the time is right, each of them will be tried and will receive the punishment due for their crimes.”</span></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Even with his paranoia wanting to disagree with Ren's decision, Hux nodded. He had lived his life getting rid of his enemies and not being merciful to them, but he knew that Ren was right. If they were willing, determined to transform the Order into something new, better, having compassion for those who thought differently was a good starting point and proof of their commitment to change. </span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>After all, it was Ren's compassion for his scavenger that had led them to that moment. If Ren's compassion had not led him to kill Snoke and assume the post of Supreme Leader, Hux would not have become a spy and would not have fallen in love and found Rose again. If Ren had killed Rey instead of saving her, the First Order, just like the two of them, would still be under Snoke's command and not knowing how liberating it was to love and be loved by someone.</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>"So, compassion will be our new motto." he said and Ren nodded in satisfaction "Do you want me to contact the Resistance leadership to request a ceasefire and a meeting?"</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">
  <span>Ren's body went rigid for a second when he was reminded of that part of the plan and he swallowed hard before saying “No, General. I will take care of this task myself.” he took a deep breath "Despite everything, I have a </span>
  <span>
    <em>good feeling</em>
  </span>
  <span> about it."</span>
</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I like to think that Armitage and Ben would be friends if given the chance and I decided to go that route. I hope you enjoyed.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rose receives news from Hux. The Resistance is visited by potential allies.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose did not have to wait long to receive news from Hux.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">About a day after their last conversation she received another message from him, a worrying message telling her that Kylo Ren not only believed that the First Order had won the war as he was preparing to take complete control of the galaxy in the next few days.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">This news made her fear both for Hux’s safety and for the future of the galaxy. For Hux because, if Kylo had put him in charge of gathering all the information he needed, that could mean that the Supreme Leader suspected that Hux was the spy and had set a trap to catch him. Thus, if the Resistance had access to any of that information accessed by Hux, Kylo would have confirmation of his suspicion and would probably execute him for treason.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">And she feared for the future of the galaxy because she had witnessed all the evil that that organization was capable of causing to achieve its nefarious goals. Not that under Kylo Ren, the First Order has become more ferocious. Since taking charge, he seemed more concerned with keeping control of the territories already occupied than with occupying or attacking new planets, but perhaps things were about to change. And she feared they were going to change for the worse. Much worse.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Even with Hux warning her that he probably wouldn’t be able to contact her until he finished that task and that he might not even be reading her message, she couldn't help writing about her suspicion:</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p class="western"><em><strong>Haysian Flower:</strong> My dear Fighter, I know you have no choice but to do what KR ordered, but I think he suspects that you are the spy and that he assigned you this task to test you and not just to humiliate you </em> <em>as you think</em> <em>.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>If you pass on any of this information to us and we use it against the FO, it will end up confirming his suspicion and could cost you your life. I don't know when you will read this message, but I hope you have realized that this may be his true intention. So, as relevant and useful as the information you access may be, I think you should avoid sharing it with the Resistance, at least for a while.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western"><em>I'm going to warn General Leia about KR's plans and your request, but I doubt that she won't be restless and worried about this news and I know that she will be attentive to any movement of the </em> <em>F</em><em>O.</em></p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>Please be careful, don't do anything that could reveal your identity and don't die! I don't know if I'll be able to move on if I lose you. </em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I look forward to hearing from you.</em>
  </p>
  <p class="western">
    <em>I love you.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">As she expected, Leia received the news with concern and tried to take all possible measures to keep an eye on the movements of the First Order, even sending Snap Wexley, one of her most trusted spies, to Jakku.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">With each new day, Rose anxiously checked to see if he had sent any news, but there was nothing and each day without an answer was a day of agony. Yes, Hux had warned her that he would dedicate himself fully to the task that Kylo had given him and that she shouldn't worry if he didn't contact her, but she couldn't help but be worried and the nightmares in which she watched him die didn't help her to stay calm either.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It was in the moments when she saw that there was no new message from him that Rose wished they had run away, that they had left that war behind and started a new life, even though they knew they would have to live with guilt for having deserted.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It was in those moments that she allowed herself to think about what her family would say about her and Hux if they were alive. Would they approve? Would they stop talking to her and curse her for loving someone like Armitage Hux? Or would they do exactly like her and see that, despite everything, he was a good person who had done bad things, but who had the willpower to try to make amends for his mistakes? Would she have fallen in love with him if Paige was still alive and she hadn't felt so alone, so adrift? Yes, she believed so. And if Paige was beside her now, she would be proud that she found someone who made her feel the way Hux did: alive and full of hope.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It was also in those moments that she felt like a traitor, after all, despite all the harm that Hux had caused, she had ignored the reason and followed her heart. Although she had never betrayed any of the Resistance's secrets, Rose Tico loved someone on the enemy side and always found herself pondering what she would be able to do to keep the man she loved alive and safe.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It was frightening to think how easily she had overcome her internal conflict and surrendered to her feelings for him when they met in Batuu, but it was a relief to know that she wasn’t the only one who had changed. Hux had also undergone profound changes in those last few months, changes caused by the love he feels for her, a love that was strong enough to make the two of them fight to have a future together, even if the odds are not in their favor.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">It was not easy to not hear from him, but she knew he was risking his safety, his life, so that the galaxy would be freed from the First Order, so that they would have a chance to build a new life together, and at least Rose it wasn’t the only one in the dark.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Both she and Rey didn’t know what was going on in the First Order. Rey had told her that Ben had been acting weird since before Rose and Hux met in Batuu and that he was definitely hiding something very important from her. However, the rare moments that the Force connected them were too precious for them and she refused to waste those moments by interrogating him. Rey trusted her Ben enough to wait until he was ready to speak and Rose, who also had the same kind of trust in Hux, understood her friend's faith in him, even though Rose feared Kylo's intentions for the future of the galaxy.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Whatever was happening in the First Order remained a mystery, but things at the Resistance base were agitated.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">There was an air of anxiety and unrest hanging in the air, as if the enemy's lack of activity left everyone with their nerves on edge, leading everyone to dedicate themselves even more diligently to keeping all weapons, ships and fighters at the base ready for battle.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose was helping Poe make repairs to his fighter, while Finn passed them the tools and BB-8 ran some diagnostics on the other ships waiting for repair, when Kydel warned her that the General was waiting for her in the command room.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">After cleaning her hands as best she could, she followed the other girl and Finn took his place beside Poe. The two men had finally made their relationship public and the happiness radiating from them was intoxicating. Passionate looks were still exchanged, but now they were also accompanied by tender touches and quick kisses when they both thought that no one was paying attention to them.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">As she walked, Rose thought about what Leia might want to talk to her. It was usually Rose who sought her out when Hux contacted her, but since General Organa had sent a spy to Jakku after Hux's warning, perhaps she had some news and wanted to share. Or, perhaps, Leia was as eager for news as Rose and Rey were and would probably just ask if there was anything new.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Upon entering the room, Rose realized that something else was going on. Leia was accompanied by three elegantly dressed people that Rose didn’t know, but by their clothes and postures, she soon realized that these were the powerful allies she had heard Poe comment that had wanted a meeting with the General for weeks. Rey was also there and the visitors, two women and a man, were gathered around her and seemed to be bombarding her with questions.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia saw her and signaled for her to approach and everyone turned to her.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Senators, this is Commander Rose Tico. She is the person responsible for maintaining contact with our spy.” said Leia and Rose smiled and nodded slightly at each of them "Commander, these are Senators Aimée Nige of Naboo, Laua Riga of Chandrilla and Chawla Pomedii of Christophsis."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The three formed an interesting trio. Senator Nige was a slender woman with perceptive honey-colored eyes, brown hair in a bun and appeared to be in her forties. Senator Riga, on the other hand, was young, perhaps the same age as Rose, the same height as Leia, with sharp violet eyes, with short black hair framing her face. Senator Pomedii was the tallest and oldest of the three, and his stiff posture, icy blue eyes, pursed mouth, and lack of hair made him look like a stern man who had grown accustomed to having things done his way.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose knew that Leia had tried for months to lure surviving senators from the destruction of Hosnian Prime to the cause, but most refused to declare support for the Resistance knowing what the First Order could do to their home worlds. The General ended up slowing her efforts when she realized that the intel given by Hux had allowed the Resistance, even with limited resources and a little personal, to wreak havoc on the First Order.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia took them to a smaller room where they could talk in private and the six sat around a table.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The three senators are here as spokesmen for the Senate." informed Leia and the three nodded "I confess I was surprised when you requested this meeting after so long refusing to help us."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Most of us were reluctant to go against the First Order." said Senator Riga "General Organa, you certainly understand our need to protect our home worlds."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia nodded “I also understand the need to protect those who cannot protect themselves, Senator Riga. And for a long time I believed that being part of the Senate was the best way to guarantee that.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Does that mean you lost your faith in the Republic, General Organa?" asked Senator Pomedii in a slightly accusatory tone.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"No, senator." she replied with a slight edge of irritation "That means I got tired of waiting for the Senate and I decided to act instead of staying in the security of the capital discussing whether the threat from the First Order was real or not."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“You are right, General Organa. For a long time, we acted like cowards and our lack of action allowed things to get to the point they did.” said Senator Nige in a soothing tone “But we get tired of hiding. What you of the Resistance have managed to do in recent months, the success you have had in disrupting the First Order's plans, has given us hope and the strength we needed to get together again and resurrect the Senate.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia nodded "As I understand it, you are here because the Senate has something to propose to us."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Exactly." said Senator Nige “Came to us the rumor that you have a spy within the First Order. Is that rumor true?”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes, it is." replied Leia simply.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And is this spy a member of the First Order or a member of the Resistance infiltrated?" asked Senator Pomedii.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The spy is a member of the Order."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The vast majority of us believed that, if the rumor was true, then you had managed to infiltrate one of you into the First Order." commented Senator Riga "It is not easy to imagine that one of its members would risk their own life helping the enemy side, especially when one is on the side that is winning the war."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Indeed it is not common for this to happen," said Leia, "but this is not the first time that someone on the enemy side has decided to help. The destruction of the Death Star was only possible because we received help from members of the Empire. And the destruction of the Starkiller base was only possible because we received the help of a deserter trooper."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And that is precisely why we are eager to learn more about this brave spy." said Senator Pomedii looking Rose directly in the eye and looking genuinely interested in the subject "Do you have any idea who the spy is, Commander Tico?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Before Rose could say anything, Leia replied, “No, Senator. We don't even know if the spy is a man or a woman or what their position is within the hierarchy of the First Order.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose tried to look as calm when she heard that lie as Leia seemed calm when she said it. If the General decided to hide the truth about Hux, it was because she didn't trust the three in front of them, maybe not even the Senate's intentions, and Rose should also do the same and say as little as possible, but without looking like she was trying to hide something from them.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Even though you know so little about this spy, you seem to trust them a lot." provoked Senator Pomedii.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"These are desperate times, dear senator." countered Leia "As risky as it seemed, I chose to accept any help that came up."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And how long have you been in contact with them?" asked Senator Riga.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia was silent and Rose, understanding that she could speak the truth, replied "A little over ten months."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Since the death of Supreme Leader Snoke." commented Pomedii and the other two nodded, as if confirming something they suspected "Perhaps the spy is someone dissatisfied with the change of command of the First Order."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Maybe, but whatever their motivation, the spy never told us." replied Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And how did the first contact take place between you?" continued Senator Pomedii.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The spy contacted me directly." replied Leia "And ever since then we have been using the intel they send us to plan our missions and our next steps in the war."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The three looked at each other and Senator Nige asked, "And is there any indication that this spy has access to Supreme Leader Ren's personal agenda?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The intel sent never gave us any indication that the spy has direct access to the Supreme Leader or information about him." replied Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"What about the frequency of the Supreme Council meetings or on which ship do these meetings take place?" asked Senator Riga.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose pondered for a few seconds, “As far as I can remember, no intel was concerned with this matter either. If our spy has access to that information, they never thought it was worth sharing it with us.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And you never thought to ask for this information?" asked Senator Pomedii, looking surprised.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I don't see how useful this information would be..." began Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"We never ask for any specific information." said Leia interrupting Rose “Whoever the spy is, they decide what to share with us. And, since the information has always been extremely useful to us and has allowed us to interfere with many of the First Order's plans, I never saw the need to ask for specific information.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"You have accepted what the spy has to offer." commented Senator Nige.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"We did."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“But even if you never asked for specific information, General Organa, do you think them would be willing to take even more risks to get that specific information to us?” insisted Senator Pomedii.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And why would the agenda of the Supreme Leader and the Supreme Council have any importance for the Senate?" asked Rey, looking uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"That's a great question, Rey." commented Leia "And I would like to hear the answer before continuing with this conversation, senators."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The three looked at each other before Pomedii said “As my dear colleague senator Nige has already said, it took a long time for the remaining members of the Senate to agree to meet again. But when that happened, we felt stronger and after some disagreements, we reached a consensus that the best and quickest way to end this war is to kill Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and his entire Supreme Council. So if we know how often he meets with his council and which of the ships in the fleet these meetings take place, we could coordinate an attack and kill them all at once.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose heard Rey gasp, but her eyes immediately went to the General. For those who didn’t know her, her face seemed impassive, but Rose could see how much the suggestion of killing her son left her shaken.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"You... the <em>Senate</em> plans to assassinate Kylo Ren." said Leia with an emotionless tone of voice and the three nodded "And you want to use the intel provided by our spy to do this."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"We do. And we know that it is a bold plan. But even if it doesn’t lead to the end of the war, that would be a good way to weaken the First Order.” commented Senator Pomedii.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"That would be murder!" said Rey indignantly, her eyes shining with anger.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"We know this is not the Jedi way..." began Senator Nige.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I <em>am not </em> a Jedi, senator." snapped Rey in a furious growl "but I don't have to be one to know that murder is <em>wrong</em>."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“What about all the lives they took, Rey? What about everyone who perished with the hosnian system? What about everyone who has already died in this war?” Senator Nige countered calmly, looking unmoved by Rey's furious reaction.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The destruction of the hosnian system was ordered by Snoke and not by... not by the current Supreme Leader." countered Rey and Rose realized that she had almost called Kylo by his real name.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">If those three were so openly talking about the murder of Kylo Ren with Leia Organa, it was because they shouldn't have a clue that he was, in fact, her son, Ben Solo.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Everyone knows that the current Supreme Leader was Snoke's apprentice." countered Senator Riga "And if that terrible weapon had not been destroyed, other systems would have had the same fate as the hosnian system." Rey opened her mouth to fight back, but the senator continued, "If by killing one man we can save the entire galaxy, I think we can agree that it is a better option than losing thousands of lives as this war continues."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"With luck, we could destroy a good part of the First Order's fleet if we join our forces and attack by surprise." added Senator Pomedii, looking Leia in the eye, as if he were asking her to help them make Rey see how much their plan was the best solution for everyone.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey looked at Leia, her body tense and her eyes full of fury, and said, "I’m sorry, Leia, but I refuse to take a part in this." then she got up and left the room.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Senator Pomedii took a deep breath "I think this means that we cannot count on her help to kill him personally." he commented in a disapproving tone, looking disappointed by Rey's attitude and Rose wanted to punch him in the face.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Did they expect that Rey, being a force user, should be the person responsible for facing and killing Kylo Ren? Had they asked her before Rose arrived? No, Rey wouldn’t have stayed there if they had asked her for something like this.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"But if the spy gets the information we need, we won't need a Jedi to kill Kylo Ren." he continued, as if he were talking about the decoration of the room and not about the premeditated murder of someone "He may be powerful, but I don't think he would survive an explosion in space."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">An uncomfortable silence fell over the three and Rose was having a hard time believing that what she had just heard was real.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“If there is anyone who understands the immense pain it is to see your planet being destroyed, it is me, senators, but ordering someone to be executed without a fair trial is not justice. It's revenge.” said Leia with an emotionless voice and a neutral expression, but her hands clenched into a fist in her lap.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And don't you think that the millions who perished along with the hosnian system deserve to be avenged, General Organa?" asked Senator Pomedii.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Everyone deserves justice, senator. <em>Justice</em>." countered Leia, her voice beginning to show her indignation and her anger "I agree that those responsible must pay for what they have done, but what you are proposing is not something that I can agree with or be a part of."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Some of our dear colleagues said the same as you did when I suggested Ren's murder." informed Senator Pomedii “but, after a good debate, everyone agreed that this was our best chance of winning the war. Furthermore, if we win this war or if they surrender, I think it is extremely unlikely that any jury will show mercy for any member of the First Order. They all deserve to die for the harm they did to the galaxy.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">His words made Leia even more tense and Rose stared at the three. The two women seemed resigned to the idea, as if the two had been part of the minority that initially disagreed with the plan, but ended up losing hope, while Senator Pomedii seemed enthusiastic about the idea. And, as the idea was originally proposed by him, he was certainly happy to have managed to convince everyone to do what he wanted, which he thought was the only solution.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"You think we shouldn't have mercy on our enemy, but what if we lose the war?" Rose heard herself asking.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The three gave her condescending smiles and Senator Riga said, "I think the last few years of the war have made it quite clear that the First Order has no mercy for its enemies, Commander Tico."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Perhaps what we need to win this war is to have the courage to act as they do." complemented Senator Pomedii and the other two nodded.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Be like the First Order and do the same as they do? Didn't the Senate know all the horror that the First Order had spread across the galaxy since its emergence? Did they not know that giving up hope would be the same as giving up everything? Rose had fought for years with the Resistance because they were different, because they cared about the people who were being oppressed and killed by the First Order and she would never act like them, even if it was to end the war.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Permission to leave, General?" she asked, standing abruptly. She just couldn't go on listening to that kind of thing anymore.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Permission granted, Commander." replied the General and Rose didn't even look in the senators' direction before she left.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose ignored the looks of the people around her and walked angrily towards the forest. She needed to talk to Rey and knew exactly where she would find her. She followed the trail in the forest until she reached the clearing where her friend used to meditate. Rey was standing in the middle of the clearing, hands fisted and taking a deep breath, trying to control the sobs that shook her body.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Seeing her dear friend in that state helped her to control her anger. She had just heard that powerful people were planning the murder of the man she loved and Rose could imagine how much it had shaken her. Rey was collapsing and needed to be comforted and not be bombarded with the things that Rose had just heard.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Don't worry, Rey. Leia will never agree to her own son's murder." she said in the calmest tone she could manage.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey turned to face her and her face was contorted in pain, her cheeks bathed in tears "I felt their intentions through the Force, Rose." she said, her voice filled with despair “They want Ben dead at any cost! They really believe that this is the only way to end this war!” she wiped her tears angrily with the back of her hands "I can't lose him, Rose." she said, her voice choked and she took a deep breath "I can't, I won't let them hurt him."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose went over to her, hugged her and repeated, "Leia would never agree to her own son's murder even if it meant the end of this war."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“What if they make their help for our cause conditional on that? What if they find a way to get close to Ben or hire someone to kill him?” asked Rey.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose concluded that she still didn’t know that the senators expected her to be the person who would kill Kylo in case the opportunity arose. Rose looked her in the eye, wiped away her tears and wished she had answers to all her questions.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey took a deep breath “Everyone thinks Ben is a monster, Rose! But I know he is not!” she said desperately and closed her eyes to try to stop the new flow of tears "He told me that he is trying to do things differently and I believe him."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Hux had said that Kylo had new plans for the First Order. Did that mean anything good to all of them, to the rest of the galaxy?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Differently? How?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“I don't know, Rose. He asked me to trust him and assured me that what he is doing is going to change everyone's life and allow us to be together.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Do you think the task he gave Hux has anything to do with it?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey pondered her question for a few seconds "What if..." she started and then fell silent.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"What if <em>what</em>?" Rose pressed, curious and suddenly anxious.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey wiped away her tears "What if he is trying to do the same thing as Hux?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"You mean to end the war so he can be with you?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey nodded. Rose frowned and thought about Hux's words, about how Kylo had decided to stop looking for the Resistance and for Rey and that he was preparing to take ‘new directions’ for the First Order. What if these new directions were a surrender? Or a peace agreement? And if that were the case, what did that mean for Hux?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Do you think he would give up all the power he has as the Supreme Leader?" asked Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I do. He told me that he is ready to give up everything so he can be with me.” she replied and then asked "Do you think Hux would agree with the Senate plan and try to get the information they want if you asked?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I don't know, Rey." she offered sincerely "Before he just wanted to see Kylo lose everything..."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"But now he is in love with you and he wants to end the war so that you can be together." Rey interrupted her "What if he thinks that by doing what those senators want, he is contributing to the end of the war?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose pondered for a few seconds, "He hates Kylo and never hid it from anyone, but he would be putting his own life in danger if he agreed to help with the senators' plan."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Would you ask him that if Leia gave the order?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose felt her heart ache when she heard the fear and distrust in her friend's voice and the question sounded more like <em>‘Would you destroy my future to try to secure yours?’</em></p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And what other option would I have, Rey?" she replied, "If General Organa gives me the order and I don't comply, I could be punished for disobeying and, what would be worse, she could end up assigning someone else to be his contact."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey nodded slowly, "I understand." she said, disappointed and hopeless.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“But that doesn't mean that I agree with the plan. I would make my opinion clear to Hux and ask him to refuse to help.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey breathed a sigh of relief and gave her a small grateful smile. "Thank you, Rose."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose held her hands "We are in this together, Rey. I want your happiness as much as I want mine." she said and then added, "You know that even if our spy doesn't agree to help, the senators will try to find another way to get to him."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I know and I'm not going to sit idly by if they insist on killing Ben."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose studied her for a few seconds. "Are you thinking about deserting?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey nodded "Rose, if necessary, I will give my life to save his."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">For a few seconds, Rose stared at her. The determination on her face was scary and inspiring and Rose had no doubt that Rey would leave the Resistance behind without hesitation and, if things came to that, she would sacrifice her life to save Ben's.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She opened her mouth to say that she would do the same for Hux when a familiar but unexpected voice said, "This is a good place to think." the two turned to face Leia "Do I interrupt?" she asked and approached the two.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey took a deep breath and said, “I'm sorry that I left the meeting that way, Leia. I know how important it is to get new allies for the Resistance right now, but I couldn’t force myself to stay there listening to those people talking about murder as if they were talking about what they had eaten for lunch.” She looked at her hands and added, "I could feel their intention through the Force and I was feeling suffocated."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"It's okay, Rey. I felt the same way and also wished I could get out of there just so I wouldn't hear them talking about their plan to murder my son." For a few seconds, Leia looked older than she was "I know he did horrible things, but I would never agree or help with the plan to murder him."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">After a few seconds of silence, Leia continued “I managed to convince them not to go ahead with this plan. At least for now. Even if I never have my son back, I will protect him in every way I can.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Don't lose hope, Leia. There is still light in him and there is still time to save your son.” said Rey placing a hand gently on Leia's arm "I know that we... that you will see him again."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia gave her that look that said she knew Rey was hiding something from her and nodded "Thank you, my dear." she said in a gentle tone that reminded Rose of her mother "At times like this it is difficult to keep hope and I am happy to know that you have enough hope for both of us."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rey gave her a slight smile and asked, "You think they can decide to go ahead with their plan without our support, don't you?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Unfortunately, there is that possibility." replied Leia, looking even more tired than before "But if it had been so easy to assassinate the Supreme Leader of the First Order or a member of the Supreme Council, they would not have come here to ask for our help."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia was right and the senators knew they would need their help to at least try to kill the Supreme Leader, but would they offer any help to the Resistance if Leia continued to be against the plan?</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Will they still provide the support that the Resistance needs if you deny their request?" asked Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"The three came here with the certainty that I would accept to give anything in exchange for their support and, fortunately, the decision to help us or not involves the entire Senate." replied Leia "They will communicate to the other senators everything we talked about and only then will they make a decision."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Do you think there is any possibility that they will give up on this plan altogether?" asked Rose.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"I don't think so, Rose." said Leia and looked at the forest before adding, “You two missed the final part of the conversation. They made it clear that my son is not the only one they want to kill.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“They said that they want to kill all members of the Supreme Council as well and that they won’t have mercy on any other member. I heard them.” said Rose feeling the anger rising.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes, they seem determined to act like the enemy." said Leia and looked back at them “What you haven't heard is that, if they can't assassinate the entire Supreme Council, they want at least one of them dead.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Who?" the two asked at the same time.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"General Hux." replied Leia with a sad look.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Why him?" asked Rey.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">They know that the Starkiller base is a creation of General Hux and they want him dead before he has the time to build a new base or something as destructive as that."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"That means..." began Rose, but her words were swallowed up by the fear that saying the words would make everything real, inevitable.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"That my son and our spy are the main targets of their plan." said Leia "They think the two are the most dangerous and that perhaps the next person who takes command of the First Order will be more likely to make a mistake that could lead us to victory."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The three were silent for a while until Leia spoke again “Perhaps General Hux would even agree to help murder my son, but I believe that if he knows that he is also one of the targets, he won’t be so excited about the idea.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"But you are not sure." said Rey.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"No, I'm not sure."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Are you going to give me the order to ask him that?" asked Rose after trying and failing to swallow the lump in her throat.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia gave her a tired smile. “No, Rose. I won’t give that order. I don't want to give General Hux that option.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose nodded, gratitude and relief flooded her and she wiped away the tears that insisted on falling.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">She wished she could tell the truth to Leia, that Hux no longer wanted to destroy her son, but before she could decide whether or not that was a good idea, Leia said “Before we think about what we will do, we need to find out what my son plans.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And then?" asked Rey.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia took a deep breath "We prepare as best we can and then we will continue to fight." she said.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The two nodded and followed Leia back to the base.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">---</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Snap Wexley's first surveillance report was received about two days after the tense meeting with representatives of what was left of the Senate and confirmed the intel that Hux had sent in his last communication with Rose. The First Order fleet was actually gathering in Jakku's orbit and there was no sign whatsoever that they were preparing to carry out an attack.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The information caused an uproar at the base, with some of the more enthusiastic members saying that they should take advantage of that occasion to attack the First Order with everything they had, while other members asked for caution. Thanks the Maker, Leia agreed with those who asked for caution, and there was barely time to create theories about what was happening in the First Order when something unexpected happened.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader of the First Order, personally contacted General Leia to propose a ceasefire and ask her to meet with him to discuss an armistice and made clear his intentions to also negotiate a peace agreement between both parties. He had informed her that, as proof of good faith, he had ordered the withdrawal of troops and the dispatch of humanitarian aid to the territories occupied by the First Order.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Although Kylo Ren's words were initially received with suspicion, it didn't take long for this information to be confirmed by several sources trusted by Leia and by members of the Resistance who were infiltrating these territories, and the distrust began to transform, little by little, into hope. After that, Leia saw no reason not to accept his invitation.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">When reporting to the senators about these events and about her imminent meeting with the Supreme Leader of the First Order, they confirmed that they had also received information about the movements of the First Order and they didn’t insist that this meeting be used to try to murder Kylo and Hux, which was a relief for Leia, Rose and Rey.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Many offered to accompany the General, but she only said that she had already chosen who would accompany her and, after dismissing the crowd, she asked Rose and Rey to go to her private quarters and informed them that she had chosen them to accompany her on this important mission.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Despite feeling honored by the opportunity, Rose felt that Leia should be accompanied by people with more experience in both combat and diplomacy. She understood why Leia wanted Rey by her side, after all there wasn’t a single person in the Resistance who didn’t trust Rey and her ability to protect the General and herself, but why Rose was included in the reduced entourage, she had no idea.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"General, are you sure that I am the right choice?" Rose forced herself to ask. The last thing she wanted was, in some way, to undermine the chance of ending the war “I understand why choosing Rey, but I don’t know how I could be useful in that meeting.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia put her hand gently over hers and gave her a small smile before saying, "Don't underestimate yourself, Rose. I know everyone is concerned about my safety, but, in addition to not thinking that the Supreme Leader would have all this work just to kill me, I also believe that the two of you are the right people to accompany me.” she settled in her chair before continuing “There is something that I didn’t tell others and that I want you both to know. Snap managed to intercept a communication between the ships of the First Order and discovered that, before coming into contact with the Resistance, my son gathered a select group of people on his flagship and arrested them and also that Allegiant General Pryde, one of the members of the Supreme Council, was killed by Ben after shooting General Hux.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose gasped and, before she could stop herself, asked "Did General Hux survive the attack?"</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia studied her face for a few seconds before saying, “Yes, Rose. He is alive. Apparently Ben managed to stop the blast before it hit his general.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Ben is powerful enough to do that." remarked Rey with a smile as Rose took a deep breath, grateful and relieved to know that Hux was alive.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia looked proud to hear Rey's words and nodded before continuing “Whatever is going on in the First Order right now, pitted the Supreme Council against Ben and, if he protected General Hux, I think the two are working together on some plan.”</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose and Rey exchanged a look. After their conversation in the clearing, they had even considered the hypothesis that, perhaps, the two were working together, but ended up dismissing that idea, after all, it was known to the whole galaxy that the two hated each other too much for there to be even a remote possibility of that happening. But now, after hearing Leia's words, that idea no longer seems as absurd as it had seemed.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"And from the look you shared, I think you both think the same." commented Leia.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"Yes." the two said at the same time and Rose continued "But until we heard this new information, we thought it was impossible, after all they both hate each other."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">"My guess is that the two realized that they have something more in common with each other than mutual hatred." the two nodded, but chose not to comment. Leia had already deduced more about their feelings than they wanted her to know. "The main reason I want you two with me is because I know that you both know how difficult it is to make personal sacrifices for the greater good and would not hesitate to do so." continued Leia "And I also know that you, Rey, care about my son and that you, Rose, care about General Hux." the two avoided Leia's gaze "And I also know that there is something else going on and that you will tell me when you are ready." Rose and Rey looked at each other and then nodded "Good."</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia then focused on telling about the meeting, which would take place in two days on board the Steadfast, the flagship of the Supreme Leader, in the orbit of Jakku and, after the three discussed the details of the mission, Leia dismissed them.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Though full of anxiety, those two days went by faster than Rose had expected and fear and anticipation fought for control in her heart as she boarded the Falcon. She found Rey in the cockpit, busy checking that everything was ready for their departure, and sat down in the co-pilot's chair. When Leia joined them minutes later, Rey put Jakku's coordinates on the navicomputer and, when they left Ajan Kloss's atmosphere, the two activated the controls to enter hyperspace.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">The three avoided talking, each absorbed in their own thoughts and, when the Falcon beeped warning that they have reached their destination, the three took a deep breath before looking at each other. After receiving permission, Rey landed the Falcon in the Steadfast hangar and the three headed for the ship's door.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Rose didn't know if she was more nervous about the meeting or about the possibility of meeting Hux again.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">“Ready to take the first step towards ending this war, girls?” asked Leia, hand over control of the door and they both nodded.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Leia gave them a confident smile, activated the control, and when the ramp went down the three disembarked from the ship and saw that there were six figures dressed in black and wearing frightening helmets waiting for them.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The three senators are original characters that I created in another fic called “The fear that unites us”. As I need the surviving senators in this story, I found it easier to use them than to create new ones.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Rose and Hux deserved much more than they received and now it's up to us, the fans, to give them all the happiness they deserve.</p><p>Thanks for reading.</p><p>My Gingerrose Fics:<br/><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24193804/chapters/58275241">The matchmaker</a></p><p> </p><p>You can find me on:<br/>My  <a href="https://twitter.com/filhadoboto">Twitter</a> <br/>My  <a href="https://filhadoboto.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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